Obviously, Perhaps
by left my heart in Paris
Summary: "I want to know how you and mum met?" Kelly asked her father eagerly. "Ok, but the story involves three woman, and I'm going to change their names so you have figure out who she is" Gibbs said as Kelly got comfy on her bed. "Once upon a time..." Jibbs, Shibbs and Mibbs, based on the film 'Definitely maybe' NOW WRITTEN BY FASHIONGIRL97
1. Chapter 1

**Ok this is a story based on one of my favourite films Defiantly, Maybe , I own nothing not the plot or the characters although I wish I did. It's something I've always wanted to write and of course I will be changing stuff to fit with the NCIS world. Don't forget to review. It's Jibbs, Shibbs and Mibbs but it will only be one on the end.**

**Also I want to say that I will not be updating any of my stories until Wednesday evening or afternoon as I have three last exams all of which are very important, my whole plans next year rely on if I pass them and its not looking good. But after Wednesday morning at 10:45 I will be free and my summer begins, wish me luck.**

**Anyway on with the story….**

Obviously, Perhaps 

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was very happy, which was a big change. Usually he was grumpy and always looked cold face, with no emotion. He was great at his job and had the respect of all his colleague and his team mates.

"Have a nice weekend Gibbs" Tony DiNozzo said before walking towards the elevators.

Ziva David then got up from her seat "Are you doing anything nice Gibbs" she asked as she wrapped her scarf around her neck preparing to brave the cold of the winter outside.

"Yeah I've got Kelly for the weekend" he said giving her a weak smile before looking at the picture of his little girl on his desk, her bright blue eyes shining and wearing a cheesy grin.

"Have fun" she said before turning to the sandy haired man opposite Gibbs's desk next to Tony's "McGee are you coming?" she asked

"Yeah, night Gibbs" he said getting up and turning off his computer before following the Israeli out of the room. Ten minutes after everyone else had left Gibbs left himself.

He was really excited to spend time with his daughter, he loved her so much. She was the perfect little girl, he couldn't fault her one bit, she was curious, open minded and always seemed to bring out the fun side in him.

But as soon as he thought of Kelly then his thoughts always went to her mother, when they had got married, he really thought that they were going to last forever but then all of sudden, it began to crumble right under him and he hadn't noticed and then six months ago, he walked into his house and there she sat with tears in her eyes and suit cases by the door and divorce papers in her hands, just needing his signature.

"Daddy" A little girl's voice rang out from in front of him, he looked up and smiled as he saw Kelly, wrapped in her blue coat and pink bobble hat with her platted pigtails flying around as she ran towards him.

"Hey Kel" he said opening his arms and lifting the little girl up into his arms and kissing her forehead making the eight year old giggle. "You excited to spend the weekend with me?" he asked his blue eyes meeting hers.

"You bet" she said with a smile as he carried her to his truck.

Twenty minutes later they arrived at his house, Gibbs gets out and helps her out of the truck. "Can we work on the boat?" she asked as she walked into her old house before taking off her coat and hat then her shoes.

"Sure sweetie" he said running a hand through her hair "What do you want for dinner?" he asked.

"Pizza" she said with a toothy grin "And ice-cream for desert" Kelly tried her luck even more.

Gibbs gave her a chuckle "Fine but you can't tell your mother" he said, the little girl nodded before pretending to zip her mouth shut and throw away the key.

Hours later after all the pizza and ice cream had been eaten Gibbs stood holding Kelly up as she began to sand the boat, a project that they had started together and they were determined to finish it together.

He knew she was getting tired as her arm movement across the wood was slowing and he saw her yawn a couple of times.

"You want to go to bed?" he asked holding her close.

"What about the boat?" she asked.

"It will be here tomorrow" he said pressing a kiss to her head. "Come get your jammies on and brush your teeth" he instructed as he helped her up the stairs.

Five minutes later he walked into her bedroom to find her eagerly waiting for him, laying in her bed. He smiled to her as he sat on the end of her bed. "So what story do you want me to read you tonight?" he asked looking at her shelf with a couple of books left on it; the others were at Kelly's new place with her mother.

"Can't you tell me a story?" she asked.

"What make one up?" Gibbs asked a little confused.

Kelly shook her head "Maddie at school today told me how her parents met, I want to know how you and mum met?" she asked eagerly.

Gibbs nodded his head "It's a really complicated story" he said not really sure the girl would really want to listen to the whole thing.

"But I want to know" she said with a pout her father couldn't resist.

"Ok, but the story involves three woman, and I'm going to change their names so you have figure out who she is" Gibbs said as Kelly got comfy on her bed.

"Fine" she said crossing her arms over her chest.

"Ok, Once upon a time…"

TBC…

**Please tell me if you want me to continue or am I just wasting my time.**

**Review please. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it's been a while, I've been busy attending enrolment days for six form but it's now summer hols for me so updates might be a lot more. **

**I want to thank you KSPB for giving me a big kick to write the next chapter of this.**

**Like the film I'm changing two of the women's names but I'm pretty sure you will all know who they really are and if for some reason you don't then it will be revealed at the end.**

**Everything that's in italics is going to be present day with Kelly and Gibbs the rest is him telling her the story.**

Chapter 2

"_When I was younger I used to live in a small town, as much as I loved living there I wanted to go somewhere bigger, to more important things, do something that mattered, so when I got a job opportunity in D.C I took it" Gibbs continued the story, Kelly listen to her father with her wide blue eyes, she was interested in every word._

"_You did" the girl nodded knowing that D.C was where they lived now so that must have happened._

_Gibbs nodded "The only problem was that I had a girlfriend let's call her…." He thought._

"_Cheryl?" Kelly suggested eagerly._

"_Ok fine I had a girlfriend called Cheryl, who couldn't and didn't want to come to D.C with me" Gibbs continued with a chuckle._

"That's the last of it" a younger Leroy Jethro Gibbs said as he threw the last box of his possessions into the back of his truck.

He turned to come face to face with his girlfriend Cheryl whom he'd been with since high school, he looked her up and down, her long auburn hair that framed her beautiful face, her olive skin covered in freckles, her blue eyes framed by thick dark eye lashes, he was going to miss her so much.

Gibbs stepped forward and took her hands in his, running his thumb over her knuckles "It's not too late to change your mind" he said, his dreamy blue meeting hers.

"I'm sorry Gibbs" she said shaking her head "I love you I really do but I…I can't leave, I have a life here and my family unlike you I can't just jump up and leave"

The man nodded with a sad look in his face "I understand, I'll miss you" he said.

"I'll miss you too" Cheryl said wrapping her arms around her long term boyfriend and resting her head above his heart, loving being in his embrace and listening to his soothing heartbeat.

He pulled her closer and squeezed her tight as he placed a soft kiss to her forehead "I have to go" he mumbled into her hair.

Cheryl nodded pulling away and wiping the tears rolling down her cheek, "Promise me you'll call" she said running a hand down his arm.

"I promise" he said pulling away and giving her a reassuring smile. "Maybe I'll come back to visit" Gibbs said looking around at the town he had grown up in, full of bad memories and some very few good.

After another hug Gibbs hopped into his truck and made the journey to D.C, when he finally arrived in his new home, the sun was setting outside.

He followed his new land lord to his knew apartment, "Ok, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, give your rent on time and I won't bother yah" the old grumpy man said pointing to the areas with his hands before handing Gibbs the key and leaving him alone in the almost bare room.

Gibbs looked around, the wallpaper was peeling off of the walls, the floors were covered in patches of different coloured carpet, there was a small warn sofa and an old television on a broken coffee table in the corner.

Slowly he closed the door behind him and locked the door, he wasn't sure how the safe the area was, then he made his way into the bedroom, he was relieved and happy to find that there was a decent bed, well this was his home, he decided once he was settled into work then he would start to make the apartment more homey.

Hours later the sharp cry of his alarm clock, he groaned and slowly reached over and hit it stopping the sound.

He got up and walked into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, after brushing his teeth he shaved and then got dressed into a grey jacket and matching trousers and a white shirt.

After all this he was in dire need of coffee, Gibbs walked into his lounge and rummaged through one of the box's in search of coffee but after ten minutes and searching through all the box's and finding nothing.

Gibbs then wondered or more like hoped that there would be coffee left from the previous tenant so hurried to the kitchen and then began to look through the cupboards but found nothing and then he noticed the kettle or more like the lack of, no coffee and now he was late, he wasn't getting off to a great start.

Forty minutes later after getting stuck in traffic he arrived at the NCIS headquarters. He hurried his way to the reception area "Can I help you?" the teenage looking girl asked in-between chews of her bubble gum.

"Yeah, I'm Leroy Jethro Gibbs, here to start my new job" he explained.

"Right" the girl nodded "Get in the lift and go to the top floor and make your way to the director's office he's expecting you" the girl said pointing to where there was a cue of people forming outside the elevator.

Gibbs nodded before walking over to join the cue before squeezing into the metal box before making his way to the director's office, once he got to the outer office, there was a younger tanned, dark haired woman and she gave him a smile "You must be Gibbs, Director Morrow is expecting you" she said pointing to the door.

The man nodded before walking in to come face to face with a blue eyes silver haired man "You must be Leroy Gibbs" he said holding out his hand.

"Gibbs" he said taking Morrow's hand and shaking it.

"You'll be joining Special agent Mike Franks and his team on the MCRT, I will warn you now that Mike doesn't always get along with Probies" Tom said taking a file in his hand and then making his way to the bullpen and Gibbs followed.

As they rounded the corner Gibbs noticed there was a man with dark brown hair leaning back on his desk with his head in his hands and feet propped up on the desk and there was also and there was an older man, a cigarette in his mouth as he wrote on the paper.

"Mike, this is your new probie Jethro Gibbs" Morrow said putting a hand on Gibbs's shoulder.

The older man got up and looked his new fresh meat up and down "Well well, welcome, this is special agent Burly" he said pointing to the man relaxing "Oih Burly" Mike grumbled hitting the nearest desk gaining the man's attention.

"Sorry boss" he said sitting up straight in his chair.

"This our new probie" Franks said motioning to Gibbs. Stan nodded and Gibbs noticed an evil grin grow on his face.

"Well I have a meeting, I leave you gentlemen alone" Tom nodded before walking off.

Gibbs smiled before putting his bag on the nearest and only free desk but Mike picked it up "That's Shepard's desk, the other member of our team, and you don't mess with em or you'll wish you'er dead" Mike said noting Gibbs gulp and lump in his throat, he wasn't sure he wanted to meet special agent Shepard.

"You can have this desk" he said pointing to the desk separated from the others by a divider "And your first job can be to type these up and then print em out" Mike said dumping and large stack of files and paper on his new probie's desk.

"I'm going for coffee" Mike grumbled before walking off.

Gibbs looked shocked, he couldn't believe his day could have got any worse. "Welcome to NCIS Probie" Stan said with a chuckle before slapping Gibbs on the back.

TBC….

**Please review, what did you think?**


	3. Chapter 3

**How can I ever apologise for the wait you guys have had for this chapter (if any of you are reading it) I'm so sorry about it, other stories just got in the way and I had absolutely no idea what to do for this chapter until now, well actually I still have no idea so we'll just have to see how this plans out.**

**This just came about after a fight I had with my sister so I hope you enjoy my tacking frustration out.**

**Italics is still present day, the normal is the story Gibbs is telling Kelly.**

**Disclaimer: seriously wish I owned NCIS or the wonderful characters, Jenny would not be dead and there would be hundreds of jibblets running around NCIS all as beautiful as their parents.**

Chapter 3

_Gibbs had stopped telling the story when he had found that Kelly had fallen asleep with her thumb in her mouth, looking ever so much like her mother._

_The next morning Gibbs smiled when he heard the small pitter-patter of feet running down the stairs "Morning Daddy" little Kelly greeted him with her hundred watt smile. _

_Her father turned to face her and bent down to pick her up "Morning sweetie" he greeted pressing a loving kiss to her forehead before settling her down on a chair before turning and putting the pancakes he had made in front of her before going to sit opposite her at the kitchen table._

"_Tell me more of the story?" she asked her blue eyes pleading him._

"_You sure?" Gibbs asked her in a teasing manner "I won't bore you, I mean you did fall asleep on me last night" he smiled._

_Kelly grinned at her father "I was tiered" she wined "Tell me moreeeeeeeeee" she whined making Gibbs smile at her._

"_Since you asked so nicely" Gibbs took another sip of his coffee and cleared his throat before continuing with the story…._

Probie Leroy Jethro Gibbs had been sent on a coffee run by his new boss, he hadn't expected to be treated like this on his first day, it was almost putting him off staying at NCIS, it almost made him regret leaving Stillwater, leaving Shannon.

Finally the elevator arrived, the doors slid open and Gibbs stepped in making the women who was already in there move aside. He looked the women up and down for a moment, it was her face that got him, she was pretty, had shocking emerald eyes and her hair was a dark crimson red, then his gaze travelled down to her legs that seemed to go on forever and when they did end they finish with a pair of six inch high heels.

"Need any help with those?" the women asked noting Gibbs had his hands full with the trays of coffee as well as the print outs Mike had wanted.

"Sure" Gibbs nodded letting her take the cups of coffee from him.

"Which floor do you want to go to?" she asked motioning the panel of buttons to choose the floor, one was already lit the bullpen.

"The bullpen" he gave her a charming smile, one that to her seem infectious "Jethro Gibbs" he held out his hand for her to take.

"Jenny Shepard" she shook the hand he offered her and gave him a smile just as the elevator stopped and opened out onto the bullpen.

Gibbs nodded for Jenny to get out and she did after giving him a small nod and then they both walked into the direction of the MCRT team area "So I haven't seen you around…" Jenny began but was interrupted by Mike.

"There you are probie, got the coffee and the pages I asked you to type up" Special agent Franks asked.

"Yeah boss" Gibbs mumbled before taking the coffee from Jenny and handing it to Mike who snatched it from the younger man before drinking half of it, then snatched the papers from him before turning and going back to his desk and sitting down resting his feet on the desk.

"Ah Shep I see you've me the new probie" Stan grinned at the redhead, eyeing her up and down.

"Don't make file sexual harassment charges" Jenny growled as she glared at Stan before turning and going to sit at her desk that was opposite Mike and Stan's. Gibbs put Stan's coffee on his desk before he went to his desk that was the other side of the divider.

Jenny couldn't believe that she had just been flirting with the latest member on the team, but she couldn't help but think about how charming he was.

Gibbs couldn't believe that she was the Shepard that Mike had previously warned him about; she seemed so nice, different to others, she was definitely more welcoming than the other two members of the team.

"Hey" Gibbs looked up to find Jenny walking towards him and going to sit on the edge of his desk, he looked around and found that it was just him and Jenny in the bullpen.

"Where did the others go?" Gibbs asked giving her a small smile.

"Mike went to MTAC and Stan probably went off to chase some short skirt" Jenny sighed as she crossed one leg over the other "And ignore them, they'll stop picking on you soon" she assured him.

"Really?" Gibbs asked raising an eyebrow and leaning back on his chair.

Jenny bit her lip to stop herself from laughing "Hopefully soon" she grinned at him "Mike see's peoples potential before even you even know you have it" she added.

"Really, Stan had potential" Gibbs snickered making Jenny laugh, he liked the sound of her laughter, it was bubbly sweet, not too loud or fake and false.

"He maybe be a goof ball on the outside but when he has to be, he's one hundred present rock" Jenny explained.

"Hey you two stop yacking and get back to work" Mike yelled to Jenny and Gibbs as he came back into the bullpen.

Jenny smiled before hopping off of Gibbs desk and walking off towards her desk, Mike watched the redhead as she walked away "Red light behaviour Mike" Jenny called over her shoulder to mike before going to sit at her desk.

"Stop being nice to the probie" Franks scolded Jenny, the redhead just rolled her eyes, why should she give Gibbs the same treatment she received from them all, it wasn't nice she knew how it felt and didn't want anyone to feel like she did. Also Gibbs was kind of cute meaning she felt a little sorry for him, not that she would let anyone know that.

"_I can't believe uncle Mike would be mean to you" Little Kelly protested putting her hands on her hips._

"_It's true" Gibbs assured the little girl "You can ask him when we next see him" he added just to prove his point._

"_I will" the eight year old nodded "I like the sound of Jenny, she sounds really pretty and nice" she complimented "I she my mum?" Kelly knew her mum was nice and pretty so it was a possibility_

"_I'm not telling you until the end" Gibbs reminded her._

_Kelly then hopped off of her kitchen chair and ran into the living room before coming back with paper and pens "What you doing Kel?" he asked eyeing her carefully._

"_I'm going to write everything about the women, that was I can keep track and work out who she is" the girl explained as she began to write on the paper with her pink pen, her tongue stuck out of her mouth in determination._

"_Why don't We continue the story while we work on the boat?" Gibbs suggested._

_Kelly nodded before getting up and skipping to the basement door and he followed not far behind._

**TBC…**

**I hope you guys liked this chapter, the next update should be soon if I have an idea of what to write, hopefully it won't be such a long wait as it was the last time.**

**Please leave reviews and suggestions.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Gibbs walked down into his basement where the half-finished boat stood and picked up the sander and began to sand back the wood as he heard Kelly skip down the stairs and then stop when she got to the bottom one, moments later he heard a thump which meant that she'd sat herself on the bottom, when he turned to face her he found he was right "You wanna help me on the boat?" Gibbs ask his little girl._

_Kelly looked at him for a moment before shaking her head "I wanna make sure I don't miss anything" she grinned at him. "So start the story"_

_Gibbs rolled his eyes "Ok, so I'm gunna skip a little bit ahead to the NCIS Christmas party…."_

Jenny Shepard stood talking to Ducky the ME, she smiled and nodded and took sips of her drink while he rattled on and on about something, she wasn't really paying much attention, well that was until he mentioned a certain name. "So how do you think Jethro has settled in, Mike tells me he has great potential?"

Jenny smiled at the mention of Gibbs's name, they had become good friends, they gone out to the bar and talked to get to know each other she'd learnt that he had come from Stillwater and that he'd left his girlfriend Cheryl behind whom he seemed to love dearly "Oh he's great" Jenny nodded "Saved my back loads of times" she added before looking around for the man in question "Actually, do you see him anywhere?" she asked.

Ducky then began to look through the crowds of people too but couldn't see him. "No" he shook his head.

"I'm gunna go look for him, is that ok?" she asked.

The older man knew the redhead had a soft spot for the special agent in question "of course, when you find him, try and get him to come to the party" Ducky asked making the redhead nod before walking off.

First Jenny tried the bullpen, she checked his desk over the other side of the divider but yet he wasn't there, then an idea hit her, he'd probably want somewhere quiet were he could get away from it all.

So she headed to the roof, when she reached the emergency exit she noticed that the alarm system had been disabled, meaning he was definitely up there.

She pushed the door open with a squeak before stepping out onto the roof, immediately she spotted Gibbs leaning against the railing looking down at the D.C city below lit up in the night sky.

"Some party you're missing" Jenny joked as she came up next to Gibbs, who only gave her a weak smile in return. "Hey you ok?" she asked concerned.

Gibbs nodded without saying a word, all of a sudden he reached into his pocket and pulled out a box's and slid it towards her. Jenny picked up the black velvet box and opened it, she found a diamond engagement ring nestled in the middle of the material.

"_So Jenny is mum?" Kelly asked jumping up from the bottom step she'd been sitting on._

_Gibbs chuckled at his daughter, before shaking his head "There is a lot more to this story Kel, just be patient" he assured her before going back to the story._

"Will you marry me?" He asked, Jenny turned to him taking in a deep breath. For one moment she actually thought he was being serious, that he was really asking her to marry him.

"Wow, um, I…" Jenny began to stutter, unsure of herself, what in Gibbs's right mind thought that Jenny might want to marry him yet she had the urge to say yes.

"See that's the reaction I wanted" Gibbs huffed taking the ring back and closing it.

"I'm sorry you've lost me" Jenny shook her head trying to get her thoughts back "What do you mean?"

Gibbs sighed "I asked Cheryl to marry me" he stated.

"Oh that's great" Jenny grinned, happy for her friend, she knew how much he loved her, she was a lucky women "Why aren't you happy?" she asked.

"She came up here to see me earlier today, I asked her to marry me and she said no" Gibbs shrugged his shoulders "I really thought she was the one". He looked so uncharacteristically glum.

"I'm sorry" Jenny pulled Gibbs into a small hug "She's stupid for letting you go" she whispered into his ear.

Gibbs took a deep breath as he held Jenny in his arms for a moment, he loved the smell of her strawberry shampoo, "Isn't it great how, we can just be friends and nothing be awkward" Gibbs smiled as they pulled apart.

"Yeah" Jenny nodded giving him a smile.

They both then just stood staring at each other for a moment, all of a sudden a tension cast over them, something they hadn't felt before.

Neither were sure who made the first move but in a matter of seconds, they were locked in a kiss, Gibbs' hands went to Jenny's waist were he pulled her close while hers travelled to his hair, gripping at his dark brown locks, his tongue asked permission to her mouth and she gave him full access which also made her let out a small groan.

Sooner or later the need for air came apparent making them pull apart, Jenny missed his lips immediately "Wow" Gibbs mumbled "I dunno what came over me…" he trailed.

"It's fine I understand…" Jenny panted, her chest heaving as a result of the lack of breath.

"Let's just forget that happened, I'd better go" Gibbs was then gone as quick as a flash.

Jenny stood on the roof top by herself, her lips still tingled from his touch, how could she forget something like that?

"_You just kissed her and left her?" Kelly yelled at her father "That's not nice"_

"_I know" Gibbs nodded "And looking back maybe I shouldn't have done that" he said putting the sander down._

"_Does this mean I should cross Cheryl off my list?" Kelly asked._

"_Maybe" Gibbs shrugged his shoulders "What about me and you go get some cake from the bakery you like?" he asked after a moment._

"_Can I have a big chocolate chip muffin?" she asked._

"_Of course" he grinned at his daughter._

"_And a cookie to go?" she fluttered her eye lashes making Gibbs smile._

"_You can have anything you want" was his only reply._

TBC…

**Ok so I hope you guys like and please review.**

**I also want to ask if anyone is interested in co-writing this story with me? If you do please PM me or leave it in a review. I would really like someone to help me with this story.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all for reading and review it means a lot. I am now co-writing this with Fashiongirl97, who I want to thank for always helping me and being such a great writer and friend **

**This chapter was written by Fashiongirl97 so all credit goes to her and I think it's the best chapter yet. **

Chapter 5

_Sitting in the car and stuck in traffic was boring. Kelly Gibbs was sat on the front seat of her dads beet up truck and was bored. She'd won six rounds of eye spy, gone through every radio station she could think of only to have her dad turn it off and now was back to being bored. "Hmph!" she sighed as she tapped her feet on the side of her chair. _

"_What's up Kel?" Questioned Gibbs, who like his daughter was also bored._

"_I'm boorrreedd! What's taking so long?"_

"_There's a carnival in town, we leave this road at the next exit, shouldn't be too long now."_

"_Hmm." Said the little girl folding her arms. "Tell me what happens next!" She decided, a bright smile filling her face._

"_In what?"_

"_In the story! Tell me what happens next, please."_

A week had passed since the incident on the rooftop which had ended with him walking off. A week of 'forgetting it ever happened', something Jennifer Shepard decided must be code for 'forgetting I even exist'. She was annoyed. Mike was on their backs about finishing the case, Stan wouldn't stop going on about his latest girlfriend and Gibbs . . . well Gibbs was ignoring her. So, she sat at her desk, doing background checks on her computer.

Gibbs sat at his desk eyeing Jenny, he hadn't spoken to her since they'd kissed and was beginning to realise that leaving her might not have been the best thing to do. Now he looked at his screen and sighed, he honestly didn't know what to do when a ball of scrunched up paper hit him. He turned to Stan Burly who was glaring at him. "Oi probie, what have you done to Shep to get her so wound up!?"

"Why d'you think it's me?!" replied Gibbs attempting to cover his back.

"Because when it's me she punches me, when its mike she just sits there painting her nails, _this_ . . ." he replied signalling to Jenny. ". . . is new. She doesn't do mardy so what have you done?"

"I'm not def." she stated from across the room.

"And I'm not paying you to sit there gossiping like girls, what have you got?" Questioned Mike walking in and head slapping Burley on his way.

"Erm . . . well . . ." fumbled Burley.

"Code for nothing, probie?"

"Few parking tickets on our vic., shopping centre where he was last seen are sending over the CCTV footage."

"They were meant to send that over a week ago!" replied Mike, head slapping them both. "Shep?"

"Got the phone records from the company-"

"Woah! They wanted a warrant!" Stated Burly.

"Yeah, and they're also hot blooded males." Added Jenny smugly. "So, anyway, turns out he received a call every night at 23:23 hours exactly from the same number. Traced it back to Lance Corporal Steven Mayor. Calls began when he returned home four months ago. My guess is he's been blackmailing our DB."

"Get an-"

"Address? Already got one."

"Go, take one of these two Muppets." Said Mike walking to his desk. Jenny walked over to her desk and grabbed her black leather Jacket and bag.

"Come on Probie." She threw over her shoulder, knowing it wound him up like hell. "We've got a scumbag to arrest."

With that Gibbs grabbed his bag and followed her out leaving Burly and Mike behind.

"_So Jenny's smart?" questioned Kelly looking up at her dad._

"_Yeah, really smart, like you!"_

"_Hmm…Is she my mum?" _

_Laughing Gibbs ruffled her hair. "Maybe." _

"_I know! You'll tell me at the end, so carry on then!" Both of the Gibbs' just laughed as he carried on. _

AS they got in the lift to go down to the garage in order to get their government issued car. The doors closed on an awkward silence, just like many others they'd had recently. Feeling fed up jenny gave in and pulled the emergency stop switch. Turning in the blue artificial light to look at him she saw how blue his eyes were. Noticed how tall he was and once more fell for how handsome her was. Running a hand though her hair she bit back a smirk as he raised an eyebrow at her asking why they'd stopped. "Okay, we kissed. It happened, we can't go back in time and erase it, we have to deal with it. Now we either forget it happened, and move on _normally _not like the other doesn't exist. Or…" she hoped he'd get what she was implying but he didn't . Instead he just looked at her. "For god's sake Jethro, we either forget it happened or we let it become something else."

He looked in her eyes and realised that one of them had moved closer as he could not feel her warm breath on his neck. Looking down he put a piece of hair behind her ear as she leant into his touch he cupped her face and kissed her ever so slowly. Giving her time to pull away if she didn't want this. But she didn't, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. When they parted both wore smiles. "So is that a 'let is become something else'?"

"I think so Jen." He replied and then she leant up and returned the favour, kissing him softly again. Then as they parted she stepped back, ran her hand though her tussled red hair and flicked the lift back into action. Silence filled the room again. And just before the doors opened he asked her a question.

"So what happens now?"

The door opened and she looked at him. "You take me out for dinner." And with that she walked away, swaying her hips and smirking as she left him behind. Neither one could help the wave of relief that passed over them as they finally made their way to the car.

"_What happened next?" asked an excitable Kelly._

"_You'll have to wait and see." Stated her dad turning off the engine._

"_But dad…"_

"_Kel, we're at the bakery, now unless you don't want anything-"_

"_I do! I do!"_

"_Well then, guess we'd better leave the rest of the story until later then hadn't we." _

TBC…

**Please review…..**

**Once again Thanks to Fashiongirl97 **


	6. Chapter 6

**This story is now being taken over by the amazing Fashiongirl97 so all credit and praise should go to her and I want to thank her for taking this story, she really is amazing and I'm sure she'll do an amazing Job 100 times better than I could so enjoy.-Left My Heart In Paris**

**-Obviously Perhaps-**

_Jethro and Kelly walked out of the small Bakery that had grown to be a favourite of both of theirs. Kelly held onto his hand whist her other held a white greaseproof paper bag which contained her muffin. Jethro watched his daughter with caring eyes and a smile. She skipped along, a smile beaming. They walked over to the car and then Kelly stopped. "Daddy, please can we go to the park instead?" He smiled at her. Kelly loved the park, just as Jenny, and Cheryl had loved the open space as well. He smiled a small smile that was completely different from his iconic smirk. A smile, which was solely reserved for two people – two people who firmly held places in his heart. _

"_Course we can." HE said, tossing her hair as he spoke. They then walked around the back of the bakery and into the small park. Sitting down on a small bench that looked over the lake; Jethro smiled as he saw his daughter face place into the ginormous chocolate muffin. She then turned to him with it all around her mouth – he couldn't stop the chuckle that came from his mouth. He took a sip of his coffee and watched her._

"_Daddy! Stop staring, it's rude!"_

"_Sorry Kel." He said apologetically._

_She then turned to him, "Where did you take Jenny on your date?"_

"_You want me to continue?"_

"_Yeah, but skip to that night pwease."_

"_Okay, so . . ."_

It was the first Saturday they had had off in weeks. It was sunny outside and the weather was unusually warm for the time of year. Jethro had spent the day in his basement, sanding away at his boat. Meanwhile, Jenny had spent the day getting ready for that night, because it was her date with Jethro. It had been a long time since she had liked someone like she did Jethro, and she was determined that for once she would not screw this one up. So, she'd woken up at half nine and walked into the kitchen where Noemi had greeted her with a cup of coffee. She'd then proceeded to spent the rest of the day getting ready. She'd started by going for a shower, doing her legs, and moisturising. She'd then put her hair in curlers and gone to her dressing table. After filing her nails into half-moon shaped she then picked out a bright red nail varnish and applied a layer to her nails. Once it had dried she added a top coat and placed small black gems in the corner of each nail.

Two hours before Jethro was due to arrive she'd set about doing her makeup. She decided she had better be ready early as something told her that he would arrive at seven thirty on the dot. So, she gently applied mascara, foundation, a touch of blusher and red lipstick before going to get her dress. It was black, fell id thigh and had an empire line waist. It was simple, with spaghetti straps, she added a small silver necklace and matching earrings before picking out her shoes. They were iconic louboutin's, black with a red under-soles. Pleased with her look she finished just as her doorbell rang.

"_Did she look pretty?" questioned Kelly. Her eyes sparkled and she'd tilted her head as she listened intently._

"_She looked amazing Kel."_

"_Can I have some shoes like Jenny?"_

"_When you are thirty."_

"_Why?"_

"_Because I said so." Sated Jethro remembering exactly how she had looked when she wore them._

As expected Leroy Jethro Gibbs turned up bang on the dot. He stood there, nervous as hell. He wore black trousers, a jacket and a white dress shirt. Now he waited. The door was opened by a Hispanic woman who greeted him with a warm smile. "I'm here for Jenny." He said almost not sure that he had the right house.

"Ah, si, one moment I will tell Senora you are here." And with that she disappeared of, leaving Jethro stood in the hallway. The floor was a dark wood, and the staircase like something out of a 1920's film. He felt completely out of place. Then he saw her, and all of a sudden he was gob smacked. She wasn't the cocky agent who pulled his leg at work and tormented Mike, no now she was just beautiful.

"Hubba Bubba." He murmured under his breath making her flush. She watched him; he didn't look like the probie at work, just a drop dead gorgeous man who she felt lucky to be going on a date with.

"Hello Jethro." She said with a smirk.

"Hey" he replied before softly kissing her and skinning her around. The stress hugged her figure beautifully and left just enough to the imagination.

"You ready?" He questioned. She then went to grab a beige mac jacket that was only a few centimetres shorter than her dress.

"Am now." She stated and then they left the Georgetown house.

"_Where did you go?" Questioned Kelly excitedly._

"_Well misses if you stop interrupting me then I'll tell you!"_

"_Hurry. Up!" She said pouting in a way that once more made her father laugh. _

They entered a small Italian restaurant at the edge of DC hand in hand. Both of them wore small smiles on their faces. The place was decorated lightly, with white tablecloths and silver accents. The whole place was lit only by candle light. It was romantic and perfect with light music playing softly through the place. A Waiter dressed in black trousers and a white shirt took them to their table. IT was the kind of place where the waiters pulled out chairs. Only one glare from Gibbs and he left them well alone. Jethro held out Jenny's chair and let her sit. "Who said chauvinism was dead?" She stated with a smile on her face. A small chuckle came front the older man and then he sat down. Silently they both observed the menu, and chose their dishes. "Can I ask you something?" Questioned Jenny. There was something that had been bugging her since the Christmas party and now seemed like as good a time as any to get if off of her chest.

"Yeah." HE answered, nodding.

"That night, on the rooftop. Why did you kiss me?"

He'd been dreading this question. Was it because in a moment of heartbreak he'd gone for the nearest thing? Or was it that he'd fancied her since the moment he had seen her? "I . . . I dunno Jen. I guess I was upset, I guess . . . I suppose the fact I had fancied you and just been told by my girlfriend she wouldn't marry me added up."

Jenny stared at him in disbelief. "You fancied me?" She questioned, still not quite believing her ears.

"Yeah Jenny. That so hard to believe?"

"I. . . "She paused, and smiled. Leant across and kissed him deciding that it was most likely the best way to answer her.

They both chuckled to one another before ordering their dishes. Gibbs went for Spaghetti whilst Jenny went for prawn pasta. The rest of the evening went smoothly; they made small talk and told stories. It was light-hearted and made them both smile. As the evening came to a close he walked her home. Thought the dark streets he rested his arm around her waist in order to keep her close and safe. And then, when they arrived at her house he kissed her softly before leaving. This time, this time he would take things slowly and hope that this relationship did not end up like the rest had – down the drain.

"_So that was it?" _

"_That was it."_

"_Oh."_

"_Why?"_

"_I thought, I thought you'd tell he you loved her."_

"_Love takes time Kel, and I wasn't sure if I knew how to say it at that point. You understand?"_

"_I guess so." She stated, still a little baffled. "Daddy, do I look like my mum?" She questioned, deciding that she would find some old pictures to help her out._

"_You do Kel, you have her hair, and her smile…"_

"_Really?"_

"_Really." He concluded before she hugged him tightly and they made their way back home for the day. _


	7. Chapter 7

_To see Jenny's outfit visit my tumblr: _

**-Obviously Perhaps-**

_The rest of Kelly and Gibbs' day was filled with sanding the boat down in his basement before going upstairs to sit, eat popcorn and have a massive Disney Marathon. Much to Gibbs' delight Kelly chose the little mermaid first, which was what they always started with seeming as it was her favourite. Then they moved on to The Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. By the end of the beauty and the beast Jethro looked down to see Kelly fighting against her powers of will to not fall asleep on his chest. "Come on Kel', let's get you to bed." He said gently as he ran a hand through her hair._

"_Naw, not tired daddy!" She said, pouting before yawning. Jethro just smiled at her._

"_Hmm. . . not tired my backside Kelly Gibbs! Come on, bed-ey byes." She gave him a glare that much competed with the one he gave to his team. However, it did not work; instead it just made him laugh. "Not gonna work misses!"_

"_Fine." She said crossing her arms and stomping up the stairs. She reminded him of all three women, of Cheryl, the first woman in his story, of Jenny, and of Haley, the woman Kelly was yet to know about. But the fire in her eyes only moments ago reminded him most of all of Jenny: the way that all those years ago when she had been above him she'd retaliated at Mike. The way she'd picked on Stan . . . _

_Gibbs sighed, telling Kelly this story was opening a lot of old wounds. Wounds he'd managed to avoid for a long time. The silver haired man got up and walked u the old stairs towards Kelly's room. He smiled as he walked in and saw her lying in bed, her teddy securely tucked under her arm. He thumb rested in her mouth and she smiled when she saw him. He sat on the edge of her bed. "Alright Kel', na'night."_

"_Story pwease." She said with her thumb still in her mouth _

"_Come on Kel', it's late and we've had a busy day."_

"_But Daddy I can't sleep without a story."_

"_okay." He said with a smile. "You win." And so he laid down next to her and smiled. She always had had him wrapped around her little finger since the day that she was born. "What story then?"_

"_Tell me what happens next daddy. . . tell me who mummy is." She said with a smile._

"_Well Kelly, not much else happened for a few months. Me and Jenny carried on dating, but we made it a secret. You see I was still technically a Probie, so we couldn't tell anyone that we were dating otherwise we might get in trouble."_

"_Did you tell Uncle Mike?" _

"_No, Kel, we didn't. See, Uncle Mike was still not that fond of me. So, we both knew that if we told him he'd take the mic out of us."_

"_Skip to a good part Daddy."_

"_Okay, well this happened about six months later. . ."_

Gibbs, Mike and Stan sat in the bull pen staring at the screen. This was the longest case they had had in a long time. Two female US Petty Officers 1st Class had been murdered in DC. Each one was strangled, then, dressed in their dress Uniform and had their makeup done, and hair too. They'd then be placed on their bed, arms tied to the bed posts, feet bound like a crucifix. They'd happened a week after each other, and it had been a week since the last one. Nerves were on edge, and the whole team were walking on egg shells.

Hearing the lift ding with an arrival they all looked over to see Jenny walking in with a tray of coffee for them all. She'd obviously nipped home to change on her way, but they all knew Mike wouldn't say anything. After all this was Jenny, not one of them, he always had had a soft spot for Jenny. She walked in wearing a pair of dark wash jeans, a maroon chiffon blouse, tan brown leather lace up boots and a brown leather Jacket. She was wearing red lipstick and her hair which looked to still be damp tied in a French plait. She walked over and handed out the coffee cups. "We got anything?" She asked before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Have we had anything for the last week Shepard?" Questioned Mike in a gruff mood. Jenny sighed, she'd hoped coffee would sweeten her boss – she'd been wrong there. Jenny heard Mike's name be called at looked up onto the catwalk to see Director Marrow stood there. She heard Mike grumble a load of curses and looked up.

"I need to see you and your team in my office now agent Franks." The director said, before he walked back into his office. She watched as mike took a gulp of his steaming coffee before walking towards the stairs. Stan was right at his heels and Jenny and Gibbs followed him.

"You think they've found another victim?" Questioned Gibbs, he was still getting used to the whole network of NCIS and was now wondering why he was being called to the equivalent of the head teachers office.

"Either that or we are about to get a lecture." Said Jenny with a smile. They were walking just far enough apart to not draw attention to themselves whilst also slightly closer than others may do. They walked slowly up the stairs, and then past the secretary's desk before entering the room. Mike and Stan sat down whilst Gibbs stood and Jenny leant against the conference table.

"Close the door Agent Gibbs." Stated Marrow. Gibbs silently walked over and closed it. "I've had a phone call from Metro Police in Paris. There had been another body found that fits the MO of our killer. They're handing the investigation over to us, however you can't work it from DC. You have. . ." He looked at his watch. "An hour before you need to board your plane to Paris. Special Agent Shepard will be the agent who is in charge of negotiating with Metro PD and also the one who will be interviewing suspects as she is the only one of you fluent in French. Any questions?"

There was a unanimous shake of heads.

"Good, well then, there are only two rooms in our name. So, go pack catch this SOB." Said Marrow before they all left. They stepped outside of the office.

"I've always wanted to go to Paris, just not on a case." Stated Jenny with a small laugh.

"Well then, one of us might just be sharing the city of love with a beautiful woman." Said mike winking.

"I'm choosing who I share with." Stated Jenny.

"Aww come on Shep, let us have some fun!" Moaned Burley.

"Well seaming as Gibbs is the only one not to have begged to share my bed, I'll stay with him I think." She said with a smirk, before winking at him and walking away.

"_You went to Paris with Jenny?" Said Kelly, she was mumbling because she was falling asleep._

"_Yeah."_

"_was it pwetty?" She asked._

"_Yeah, Kel'." He said stroking her hair. "The Eiffel tower was so tall, and lit up at night. The seine reflected the light of the city. And at the top of the tower you can see all over the city." He looked down at her and saw her falling asleep._

"_I'd like to go to Pawis." She said before falling asleep._

"_I'll take you there one day Kelly." He said as she was fast asleep. "Let's just hope it ends up better that last time I went."_


	8. Chapter 8

_**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**_

_**Authors note – Okay, so thanks for all of your reviews. I hope that you enjoy, and even though Left My Heart In Paris is not writing it that you will carry on reading and enjoying this. Anyway, enjoy!**_

**-Obviously Perhaps-**

_When Jethro Gibbs woke up the next morning, sun was shining through the gap in his curtain. It was the first time in months that her ad actually slept in his own bed. Usually he slept in his basement, but last night, after telling Kelly about he and her mother met, it had unearthed a lot of memories. That basement held too many moments from his past, with Cheryl . . . with Jenny . . . there was something that made him curl up in bed and just relish in the past for one night. Now he was awoken by the light streaming in. Turning over he saw it was gone seven and so he decided to get up. After showering and changing into a pair of a jeans and a red hoodie there was still no sign of Kelly so he decided to go downstairs and brew a pot of coffee. _

_It was an hour later that Kelly Gibbs finally emerged. She pattered downstairs barefoot. Her teddy under on arm, eyes filled with sleep and hair slightly tasselled. She smiled at her dad and he smiled back at her. "Mornin' Kel'." He stated. _

"_Morning Daddy." She said before giving him a hug. Her dad then proceeded to pick her up and place on the chair. "Can I have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast please?" She asked, fluttering her eyelashes._

"_Course you can, go and put to TV on whilst I make them." HE said before kissing her forehead. Kelly then smiled and ran off into the lounge. _

_The little girl stopped dead in her tracks as she looked at the TV, before turning to here she knew her dad kept his photo's, then in a way that was so much like her father, and idea hit her. So, to cover her tracks she walked over to the TV and turned it on to the children's channel she always watched before silently walking over to the cabinet. Looking behind her she saw the coast was clear and opened the door, wincing at the creak, but no one came. Smiling in achievement she grabbed the brown cardboard box and walked over to the sofa – teddy never leaving under her arm. Then, with a smile she climbed on the sofa and began to take out all of the photos._

_As she went through them, she recognised some, like the ones of her dad in his uniform, or of the team, even the ones of Mike on the beach or back when he was her dad's boss. She then smiled as she saw a very old picture of her dad when he was younger, back when he was in Stillwater. On his arm was a woman with what looked to be red hair, but the photo was black and white so she couldn't tell. The woman was pretty; she had long red hair and a full fringe. She was curvy and he dad looked happy, Kelly decided that she must be Cheryl. So slowly, Kelly began to make a pile of photos of Cheryl. Each one she looked at closely, trying to see if the woman looked anything like Kelly did. _

_Then she saw another photo, one of her dad, Uncle Mike, Stan who she had met once or twice before and another woman. She was tall, slim, had long legs and was laughing. Her hair fell a little below her shoulders; she had bangs and was wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a plaid blouse. Kelly looked in the background to see where it was, and saw it was what looked like NCIS before the orange paint had arrived. Kelly smiled; she decided that it was Jenny. There were a few more pictures like this, and then she picked one out and saw that it was a picture of the same woman, stood in front of the Eiffel tower. Kelly smiled; the woman was laughing and posing. She had red hair and looked beautiful. Kelly looked to see if she looked like she could be her mother, but this was proving pointless, she didn't know. "What are you doing Kelly?" Gibbs questioned, not quite believing his eyes or knowing what to do. _

"_I … I wanted to see if I could figure out who was my mum by looking at what they looked like. I'm sorry daddy; I didn't mean to upset you." Said Kelly, her bottom lip trembling as she thought she'd get told off._

"_I'm not angry Kel." He said sitting down next to her and hugging her. "Next time, just ask though."Then he kissed her head softly. Then picked up the photo she had been looking at._

"_Is that Jenny?" She questioned._

"_Yeah Kel, it is."_

"_She was pretty."_

"_She was gorgeous Kelly." Gibbs traced the outline of her lips with his thumb; taking a deep breath he closed his eyes momentarily. "Right come on misses, let's get these pancakes eaten. Go wash your hands." He said, running a hand over her hair before she ran off. He looked loving at the photo, smiling at the memory of taking the picture. _

"_I'm ready!" He heard he shout and Jethro smiled. She really was the light in his life. And so he walked into the kitchen, grabbed the plate with the pancakes on and put it on the table with a cheesy grin Kelly took one and began to dig in. Jethro took one for him and did the same. Moments later her plate was cleared and she looked up at her dad. "Can you tell me what happened when you went to Paris please daddy?" She questioned._

Three hours later Jenny arrived at Jules international airport wearing a smile. She had gone back to her house and Gibbs back to his, after all neither of them knew exactly how long they would be in Paris for. So, she had gone home and gotten changed, she had put on a pair of white skinny leg Jeans, a pink camisole and a oversized navy blue blazer with the sleeves rolled up. She had put on a pair of navy blue patent leather stilettos and left her hair down. She'd found a long silver pendant and a handful of silver bracelets. Jenny had packed a big pink leather bag full of clothes which had a long strap. She placed it over her shoulder, slung a Mac Jacket over her shoulder and walked towards the entrance where Mike, Stan and Jethro stood.

"Looking good red." Said Stan.

"What did I tell you not to call me?" She stated. Mike then caught on and slapped the back of his head.

"Right now you're finally here shep let's get going."

And so they made their way through the security checks and then boarded the plane. They made their way to their seats and Jenny smiled. The three men were sat in the middle whilst Jenny had her own seat. As the flight continued Gibbs was getting sick of Stan, and so was Mike. Both of them were sick of the other mans antics and in response her had received more than a good few head slaps. Meanwhile, Gibbs let his eyes travel over to Jenny. There she sat, book in hand, and reading quietly. She was on a double seat, with an air hostess' seat next to her. Smiling she flipped the page.

Hours later, they all came into landing. Jethro went over to Jenny and smiled as he saw her sleeping. Her eyes were closed and her head rested softly against the window. "Jen." He said shaking her shoulder softly. She groaned and mumbled something illegible. He smiled even more. "Jen, we're landing." She fluttered her eyelashes as she opened her eyes and smiled.

"Mmhm, what?" She asked.

"We're landing."

"Oh, okay." She said before sitting up and fastening her seatbelt before placing her book back in the back. Jethro however resisted the urge to kiss her and walked back over to his seat and fastened his belt too.

"Hey Sleeping Beauty, you know where we're going when we get outta the airport?" questioned Mike.

"Yeah boss, I got the directions from Marrow. We're dumping our stuff at the hotel then going to the station."

"Good, you're leading the way red. You still sure you wanna sleep in the same room as Probie here? You I don't snore half as much as he will." The older man added with a wink.

"Both you and Stan would be trying to get me in the buff before I'd even closed the door. Now, I think that I'll stick with Probie thanks boss."

"Suite yourself."

_Kelly looked up at her dad. "So Uncle Mike was really jealous of you and Jenny dating."_

"_He didn't know about us Kelly. But he wanted to be with Jenny."_

"_Oh yeah, I forgot." Said Kelly, "I think that I would have like Jenny."_

"_Yeah Kel, it think you would've." Gibbs smiled. He then picked up her empty plate and moved over to the sink. "Right then Kel, go and get dressed."_

"_You'll tell me what happens next later?"_

"_Promise."_

"_Okay." She said with a big smile before running off upstairs. _

_**Please leave a review **___

_**-fashiongirl97**_


	9. Chapter 9

**I don't own NCIS**

_He was sat reading the paper quietly in the kitchen whilst drinking a steaming mug of his strong coffee. He'd been under the impression she was still in her room playing with her 'my little pony horses' when she came running down the stairs. Those all so, apparently, innocent horses were now being turned into NCIS Agents. However what was amusing was the fact that these NCIS Agents were not just any agents, they were his team. And that was what cause Leroy Jethro Gibbs to be standing at the doorway, biting the inside of his cheek so hard that the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth as he attempted not to laugh out loud. _

_There she sat at the bottom of the stairs after allowing the horses to go chasing down. It only took a few minutes for Gibbs to realise which horse was which. He was a sky blue horse with bright green hair and a matching green four leafed clover on his hip. McGee was a mint green coloured horse with bright pink hair and a flower in pink on his hip. Ziva was a white horse with bright purple hair and dots on her hip. However it was the horse which Kelly was using as Tony that really made the silver fox laugh. There, cracking jokes in a way that much resembled his senior field agent was a bright pink horse, with even brighter hair and a mass of pink hearts on its hip. Gibbs smiled as he watched Kelly make them run after one of her Baby Bratz dolls. _

_As the horse which was meant to be him tackled the doll to the ground Gibbs couldn't help but laugh. She defiantly had one heck of an imagination that rivalled even Abby's. Hearing the familiar laugh Kelly looked up with inquisitive eyes. Bright and wide she tilted her head, pouting; "What?" she questioned her father._

"_Nothing Kel'."_

_She narrowed her eyes, giving him a glare which if h had not been the one to invent it may have made him give in. "Can you tell me what happened in Paris now Daddy?" She asked as she sat on the bottom step looking up at her father. The former Marin navigated the assault course of Baby Bratz and My Little Pony toys before he sat down next to his daughter on the stairs. _

"_Well Kel', it was nothing interesting at first really. When we got to the hotel, Jenny checked us in; we dumped out bags and head to the PD. It took us three days to catch the culprit but we did it. Jenny near enough did all of the work, turned out she spoke fluently in French, which left me, mike and Stan baffled. We worked don the case, I shared a room with Jenny and then we caught the guy."_

"_J'adore la Français papa!" She said laughing. Kelly did french at school and was the best in her class. _

"_Don't you start misses!" he said mock head slapping in a way which made her laugh. _

"_So what happened?" She asked, watching as her fathers face slowly fell as he began to recite what exactly had happened in the ironically named city of love. _

Jenny and Jethro walked down the Champs Elysees hand in hand. It was mid afternoon and the sun was slowly beginning to go back down. However the whole place was still bright and alive with the hustle and bustle of people. They'd been booked on the next available flight to DC, yet it left tomorrow. Whilst things looked perfect on the outside however, they were far from it on the inside. Two days ago Jenny had gotten a phone call from Marrow. IT turned out that the boss of the people in Paris PD that they were working with had rung the director to say how well Jenny had been doing at cooperating with hem, especially considering she was speaking solely a language which was not her native tongue. It was then that Marrow had rung her, asking if she would like to take up a position in Cairo working with Mussed. IT was the kind of chance which would make her career and give her the kinds of things that Jenny had wanted when she signed up for NCIS. However, taking the job meant moving to Cairo for an unknown amount of time. It would then also mean laving Jethro. The worst part was that the plane to Cairo left tomorrow.

Jenny did not have a clue what it was that she was going to do. As much as she wanted to take the job I Cairo and make her career, she knew that she could not keep Jethro as well. The problem then arose in the form that there was no disguising the reality that she had fallen head over heels in love with him. She'd told him many times when he thought he was half asleep, when she didn't expect him to respond. Yet the other day she had told him straight off. Admitted her feeling and told him she loved him. Yet he hadn't said the same back, instead all he came out with was: "that'll be the day".

IT was slowly eating her up inside and she did not know what she was going to do. Now as she walked down the street she pushed all of those thoughts to one side, she would decide what it was that she would do tonight. That would be her decision.

The wind blew through her red hair, fanning it out behind her like a wild fire spreading feverously fast. She was still dressed in work clothes, Navy blue straight legged, trousers with a high waist line. On her feet, bright red stiletto heels that matched the colour on her lips. She had a crisp white blouse on and a Mac jacket that was left open. Over her shoulder was her bag. Jethro's arm was around her waist and she leaned into him. HE was dressed as he always was, no matter what the weather. A pair of dark trousers, a white undershirt, maroon polo and a smart suit jacket. As they walked he spotted a small fudge shop at the edge of the street and looked down to see her eyes lighting up. Slowly he began to steer her towards it. "Come on then." He said with a smile.

"You know me too well." She said before kissing his cheek.

The door opened with the ding of a bell announcing their presence. It was only a small place, and looked as though the majority of costumers were French rather that English. "'ello." Said an old man from behind the counter in strained English. HE was small, had lines well worn on his face and yet his eyes were soft.

"Bonjour." Jenny replied in floorless French.

They walked over to the counted and Jenny looked over at her partner. Jethro's face was completely baffled, all of the names were written in French and so he had not a clue. With a smile she looked over. "My treat." Jenny said before kissing his cheek softly.

"J'aimerai achète certains le whisky Jack Daniels truquer, et aussi certains fraises et de crème truquer s'il vous plait. "

"D'accord, c'est 4€ s'il vous plait"

Jenny handed the money over the counter to the man, and he then proceeded to place two large sticks of fudge into separate bags for them both and handed it over to Jenny, she smiled at the man and thanked him before smirked at Jethro and walking out.

"Yeah thanks" He mumbled as he followed Jenny out, even if he had had not a clue what she had been saying. When he got outside he saw her stood leaning against the wall with a smirk on her face. She turned to look at him and laughed. "What did you order?" he asked her.

"Fudge." She answered smartly.

"Well it was a fudge shop Jen."

"Jack Daniels for you, and strawberry and cream for me." She said with a smile on her face. He looked at her as she broke off a piece of fudge and faced it in her mouth before handing him the Jack Daniels fudge.

They spent the next hour wandering around Paris, going into the small boutiques and buying things. IT was then Jenny got a phone call from the boss in the PD, asking her to come in as they needed to tie up some lose ends. A bit gutted she would not get to spend her last few hours in Paris with Jethro, she reluctantly agreed.

"But Jen, just say no!" He said, not at all happy with her going to the station.

"I can't Jethro, its called co-operation.!"

"And who the heck made you Madame Director?" He questioned. "It's not your job Jenny, heck if anyone it should be mike."

"I took charge through didn't I, therefore it is my responsibility." She shouted back, tension was rising and this as strange for them. They argued at work, but never about domestic things.

"And what am I supposed to do?" HE shouted back. "Wander around on my own?"

"Go meet up with Burly and Franks; I'm sure you can all get drunk together!" She shouted back. And with that she walked off. Going t the nearest Metro and heading straight to the PD station. Fuming Gibbs rung burley, and within an hour they were all gathered in a small bar, doing just what Jenny had suggested: slowly getting drunk.

It turned out that the reason Jenny was needed back at PD was because of a difference in protocol. When there was a joint investigation the French PD lead and the other lead (from a different agency) both had to read through ever file and sign it along with the French boss. Seeming as Jenny had been the one to take the lead; she therefore needed to sign every document. Whilst she did so, she causally slipped into French, laughing and joking with the other officers. She found out that some were married and had children, listened to the divorce stories of others. It ended up taking two hours, but it sort of cheered her up. However, the whole time there was a feeling in the back of her mind, a niggling that maybe that argument was the opportunity she needed to make her decision.

As the final piece of paper was signed, and Jenny placed it onto the ever growing pile, she picked up her bag and began to leave, but for some reason things were never so simple. Marrow was on the line in what was their equivalent of MTAC, and so that was where she needed to be. Running a hand through her hair and sighing Jenny made her was out of the squad room and into the call room. Not at all impressed she glared at the techs that covered the floor. IT was a lot smaller, only had open row of seats and the screen was a pull down one like they use in schools. As the directors face appeared jenny had to almost squint because of the gainey-ness of the image.

"Sir, what can I do for you?" She asked, slipping back into English.

"I wanted to once more congratulate you, you have made a massive impact and helped relations dramatically, and they're even trying to steal you off me."

"Well I am honoured sir, but I fear there is another motive behind this call."

"You really are Mike's probie Jenny." HE paused, letting her look at him and him observe how it was that she was coping. "I need an answer Shepard, by tonight I need a yes or a no, preferably the prior." Jenny was half tempted to say no outright. To give up all of her career to fall in love. Yet something held her back.

"You'll have one by midnight sir."

"That's all I need Jenny. Enjoy the rest of Paris." And with that the screen went black.

Jenny turned around to walk out. "Like that's gonna happen." She mumbled with a sigh. And as she walked out, she ran a hand through her hair.

When Jenny returned to the hotel room she found it empty. Dumping her bag she walked to the other room, and after a few minutes found that one to be empty as well. Realising they really were out getting drunk she sat down on the bed. She was a mess as she fought back the tears. She had no idea what to do, didn't know whether she should be moving on or staying with Jethro. Grabbing her suitcase she dumped it on the bed, and began pulling clothes out. She grabbed a pair of black leggings and a baggy emerald green top and got changed; she pulled her hair up into a messy bun and decided she had best pack. After choosing her clothes for tomorrow she folded the rest and put them in her bag. IT was only when she looked at the clothes hours later in the middle of night, as she lay awake wondering if she had made the right decision that she realised by the clothes she had put out that subconsciously she had always known what she would choose.

Jenny then began to pack Jethro's clothes, deciding that if he really were getting drunk, he would be in no fit state to pack later. A few minutes later she grabbed her well worn copy of _P.S. I love you _and sat down on the balcony, a glass of white wine next to her as she read.

A few hours later she woke on the balcony to see her book on the table, its page now lost. The sky was in twilight and the air was chill. Hearing the shrill of her phone she realised what had woken her and so returned back into the hotel room to answer it. Expecting it to be marrow she answered: "Shepard." Only it was not. Instead it was some man speaking French. She found out that there were three men at his bar all in no fit state to return home alone. They had told him to ring her to come and get them. Seriously annoyed jenny furiously shut her phone and grabbed a pair of knee high tan leather boots and her Mac. After grabbing her phone and ID too, she ran down the stairs and got in the car they had borrowed from PD. In the still silence of the car Jenny drove over town to the bar.

When the barman had said 'no fit state' he had not been blowing things out of proportion. Burley had some woman wrapped around him who looked about 14, Mike was scaring of every woman in half a mile and Gibbs, well he did not seem that different apart from the way he could barely keep his balance.

"Non, s'en aller, je suis sa femme." Jenny said, lying through her teeth as she told the woman around Burley that she was his wife. The shock on her face made Jenny laugh as the woman almost ran away. Burley looked at Jenny as though he was about to cry.

"Aww Shep, what d'you say to her?" He asked.

"That you were old enough to be her grandfather, not get up the lot of you!" She said, as she went to help Mike up off the stool. It turned out that they were all as bad as each other, so one at a time she took them out to the car, putting mike in the front. By the time they were half way back to the hotel, the three men's snoring was filling the car, so loud she was surprised she was not being pulled up for sound pollution.

Jenny, with the help of two other hotel workers finally got the three of them up to their room half an hour later. The man stood there waiting for a tip so she found mikes wallet and gave him 20€. By the time he had gone, and she looked din the room. Mike and Stan had passed out on the bed. Jenny sighed for what felt like the thousandth time that day, "What a glamorous life I lead." She mumbled before closing the door and going back to her old rom. She walked in to find Gibbs surprisingly awake and sat in the chair. Going into the bathroom she picked up the glass that held their toothbrushes and emptied it. Then filling it with water she returned into the room and handed it out to him. "Drink it all." She ordered, not in the slightest bit impressed.

"Aww, Jen-"He began.

"Just drink it Jethro before I tip it over you." He did as he was told and drunk the water. "Now get changed and go to bed Jethro." She demanded before walking out onto the balcony and topping up her wine from before. Five minutes later he re-appeared dressed in joggers and a t-shirt. He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Come on Jenny." He said, kissing her neck. But all she felt was the overwhelming stench of whiskey on his breath.

"Get off me Jethro, you're drunk."

"Jenny,"

"No Jethro, just go to bed."

"But Jenny, I love you." She stopped and turned around. He hadn't said it before now hadn't told her how he felt then he goes and says it when he is drunk.

"That'll be the day." She repeated his words but filled them with complete and utter spite. Then she turned around and downed the last of her wine before topping it up. Gibbs looked at her.

"Jenny." He said, but she was annoyed, and he was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"You're drunk Jethro, go to sleep." There was something in her voice that managed to penetrate through his alcohol clouded brain. HE made his way into the room and fell asleep. Jenny stayed on the balcony, shivering but glad for the fact that she was feeling something. Her makeup was long gone, so tears freely ran down her face, leaving nothing more than a shining trail that remained there until the wind dried it out. Time passed, and she listened as the city of love slowly went to sleep. At 11:53 Jenny picked up her phone, and rung Marrow.

"Yeah?" HE answered, sounding as though he were still at work. Taking a deep breath she replied. "IT's Jenny."

"Have you an answer for me?"

"I have." She said, and taking another deep breath of the French air and closing her eyes she said the words that broke her heart. "I'll take the job." It should have felt like a weight, lifting off of her chest, but it didn't, instead it felt like she had just made a mistake, but as she hung up she knew that there was no going back.

Picking up _P.S. I love you_, she tore out the last page. Picking up her pen she began to write the words that she knew she would never manage to say.

_You said it when you were drunk Jethro, and when I said it you pushed me to one side. You were never a mistake Jethro; you just were something that I have never expected to happen._

IT was those final lines that caused her to allow two tears to fall onto the page. And then, so fittingly she wrote four words, that to her would always keep her book having new meaning.

_P.S. I Love You_

After that Jenny went to bed, lying on top of the covers she knew she would not sleep, and as she looked across at the A-line work skirt which was float-y, the pale blue blouse in cotton, and the blue heels, she knew that she'd subconsciously known. They were clothes for a warm place, and Cairo was warm.

At 3am, only a couple of hours after going to bed, she silently went for a shower, knowing that from the snoring coming from Gibbs he would not wake. She tied her hair up, applied her make-up and got dresses. Then, after placing the remainder of thing in her bag she looked at him. Softly she kissed his cheek, her red lipstick leaving a SWAK mark on his cheek. Carefully she placed the hand written letter on her pillow, put on her coat, and as silently as a Marine, she left him for the last time.

As she stood outside moments later, she closed her eyes, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill out. She had made her choice, and however much she may regret it, this was how things were going to go.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

_Kelly Gibbs sat on the hard stairs silently. She'd been listening intently to her father, listening to how he'd been as a younger man, intrigued by the red head who had stolen his heart and wanting to know more. Now though she looked up at the man who was always strong, never had she seen him cry or been fazed by something. But as she looked at him, in a world of his own staring at the door, she wondered if he was hoping that she'd walk back through the door. "She just left?" Kelly asked, confused by the live her father had lived._

"_Yeah Kel', just like that." he said, trying to remain in his strong suit as he sat with his daughter. He didn't want her to see he was upset._

"_But she said she loved you. Was it because you never said it daddy?" _

"_Yeah it was. See, I never said it because I didn't . . . I don't know I suppose that I didn't want her to leave. See I'd told Sha-Cheryl that I loved her." He said, correcting himself as he went along – after all she didn't know the real names yet. "Then she left, I didn't want to lose Jenny." It was the first time he had admitted it – ever. He looked down to see Kelly._

"_You loved her didn't you?" She said looking up with her big inquisitive eyes. She was young, but in that moment she seemed as wise as Ducky. _

"_Yeah Kelly, yeah I did." He said pulling her into a hug and burying his head in her hair. He felt Kelly relax in his embrace, and for a slip second let himself wonder where Jenny was now. Had she climbed up the ladder? Was she next in line for the director? He'd checked where she was, how she was constantly for the months after she'd left, now though, now he realised it had been years since he checked. He wondered if she was hurt. Was she even dead? No, he decided, Morrow would have told him if she was dead, he'd have heard it through agency scuttlebutt. Was she still at NCIS? He wondered, or maybe she had left, married and had a family? He was ashamed to think that he had never asked her if she wanted children, if she wanted to get married. In all that time together they had never spoken of the future, yet neither had they spoken of the past. Instead they had just kept things as they were. Never thinking that things could change, or at least he hadn't. _

"_Daddy?" She asked, looking up, he smiled and looked down at her with a smile._

"_Yeah darling." He said with a smile._

"_What did happen next?"_

_Gibbs sighed and ran a hand through his hair, thinking back to those weeks and months that had followed the case. "We went back to Dc Kel', and after a few weeks Stan was offered to be agent afloat. You know on a big boat. Well that meant that within a few years he'd have his own team so he took the job and left. I remember Jenny sent him a card saying congratulations. I found it on his desk, her neat swirling writing." He remembered it well; there had been a picture of some grumpy dog on the front which had made him smirk. _

"_So it was just you and Uncle Mike?" Kelly asked. _

"_Yeah it was."_

"_So is that the end? Who is my mummy?"_

"_No Kel', that's not quite the end. Remember I said there were three women, you've only heard about two."_

"_Who was the third?"_

"_Hayley." Gibbs said, and then he began, remembering the woman whom he had met, remembering just how she had been a replacement for Jenny, something of course that he would never tell his daughter, something that would forever be his own silent secret._

It had been nearly two months since Jenny had left, two months and now look at where he was. Sat at his desk in NCIS, late . . . really late. Everyone had gone home, everyone apart from him, Mike and the director. But he was alone in the bullpen. His desk light the only light breaking the darkness. He sat there as he had many nights since Paris. Wishing that things had been different. Wishing that maybe he had told Jenny how he felt. It was him and mike now, Stan and Jen had gone. Yet still he was Probie, and he was pretty sure that he always would be in the eyes of his boss. This case was long, three marine couples killed, and yet there were still no leads.

"Stop moping around!" shouted Mike in his gruff way as he walked down the stairs.

"I ain't moping Mike!" He fired back.

"An' I'm the bloody president of the USA!" HE retorted sarcastically. "My god! You really fell for 'er didn't ya probie!?"

"Guess I did mike." He retorted with sigh.

"You know your problem gunny?"

"What's that mike?" He questioned, knowing he was gonna regret that as soon as he asked it.

"You need a woman."

"Yeah? And you're the president." He retorted back. Even in the dark late nights, there was still banter, and that was the only thing that kept them both sane on the long cases.

"Well, never speak too soon." Said Mike before he walked off. "You wantin' coffee or not?" He shouted back over his shoulder making Jethro shake his head and grab his jacket before following his boss. Just as the doors managed to close, Gibbs snuck in and stood there in silence. "You're payin'." His boss stated.

Gibbs looked at him. "How'd you figure that one out boss?"

"Well I just saved your ass from misery wi' my words of wisdom."

They walked along the pavement to the coffee shop. It was small but served a decent coffee to go, the fact that it was the only one open at this time of night also may be the reason it was the only one they went to. The streets of the city were damp after the downpour, but thankfully it had stopped now. The streetlights let off their mellow yellow glow over the paved streets. They finally arrived at the shop and Mike pulled out a cigarette, signalling Gibbs really was paying. "Those things will kill you one day." Said Gibbs glaring at the smoking object between his boss's fingers.

"Yeah, so will a bullet and we're both still doing this job." Shaking his head at his boss's denial Gibbs walked in to get the coffee.

It was warm inside so he unzipped the thick NCIS jacket. Looking around he saw a figure at the counter. Her hair was blonde and down in a French plait down her back. "Two black coffees to go." He said gruffly, usually they knew his order off by heart but he didn't recognise her so he was not going to take any chances. She turned and looked at him. The muscular body, bright blue eyes, soon she found herself smirking at him. Pink lip-gloss coated lips, full make up. Jethro couldn't help but think how she was the complete opposite of Jen, _maybe that's what I need _he thought to himself.

"You want sugar with that?" She asked.

"No, thanks." He said smiling as he watched her go about making the coffee. The jeans she was wearing fit her ass perfectly, meaning he was so distracted he didn't notice her place the coffee on the table.

"That'll be $3." She said as he quickly put a few notes down, trying to cover his track. But it hadn't worked. "You like what ya see?" She asked, smirking. Reserved he just gave her his signature smirk and walked off. Outside Mike stood waiting, the rain had started again so he was stood under the canopy, another cigarette dangling from his mouth. Gibbs handed him a coffee blindly and was about to drink his when his boss spoke.

"Who the hell is Haley and why does she want me to ring her?" He questioned. Confused Gibbs turned to see in large round writing the words: _If ya liked what ya saw then call me-Hayley _written on the polystyrene cup followed by her number. Smirking Mike handed Gibbs the cup and took the other one. "Get back in the saddle probie." He said before walking off. Gibbs looked in the coffee shop and saw her cleaning up, smirking to herself. And as much as it hurt, maybe it was what he needed. So he took a sip of his coffee before going back into the shop and inviting her out for dinner.

"_I don't like her." Kelly said bluntly. He looked down at her and held back a laugh. She had a look as though if it was happening now she would make his life a living hell. _

"_Why?" She looked in deep thought for a moment._

"_She's like the evil step mum in Cinderella." She said it was thought it was the biggest secret ever, or the meaning of life. But she was right; Haley had not been liked, and even after a few weeks even Mike had decided no woman was better than Haley. But for now he looked at Kelly who was running up the stairs to get her book and smirked, he decided that if he ever bumped into the blonde again he would keep Kelly well away, otherwise the little girl might get in her first cat fight before she had even hit double digits. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

**Authors note – thanks for all the support, please enjoy!**

**Obviously Perhaps**

_It was an hour later, after Gibbs had been shown every single evil step mother in the history of fairytales that he got another cup of coffee. Kelly had gone to take the big book back upstairs to her bedroom. Now he was getting the things out to make biscuits, as Kelly wanted to do some baking. It made him smirked to think how his team would react if they saw him stood there now, getting all of the things measured out. _

_Kelly was a typical child, she always insisted that she loved to bake, however like most children, Kelly liked the end bit of decorating and then eating. She always insisted that the icing had to be pink, and it had taken Leroy Jethro Gibbs more hours to get the correct amount of red food colouring in the icing to make an acceptable pink, than it had to solve half a dozen high profile cases. Kelly loved getting covered in icing, eating the sweet and generally making herself feel sick. But for now she was stood there with all of the baking things out. "Daddy, can you tie my hair up in Abby-tails please?" She asked fluttering her eyelashes. 'Abby-tails' were actually just pig tails, but Kelly had given them their lovable nick name the first time that she had met Abby. _

"_I thought that we were baking Kel'?"_

"_We are! But I need my hair tying back first!" She stated, making her father feel as though her were the child not her. So smirking her gave in and sorted out the bunches. _

"_All ready?" He asked, she quickly ran to the back of the kitchen door and pulled down her pink frilly apron. Jethro put her little step by the working top so that she could see. _

"_Yeah! Can we make blue biscuits with pink icing?" She asked. Jethro rolled his eyes, he swore one day Kelly would be a hippy. She loved colour so much. _

"_Go on then." And with that he pulled out he blue food colouring and they set to work._

"_Daddy." Kelly began. "Can you tell me the rest of the story, but skip the Hayley bit? I don't like her and she's not my mummy." Said the little girl._

"_How'd you figure that out Kel'?"_

"_It's simple." She said with a smile as she pressed her red star cutter into the bright blue dough. _

"_Explain." Jethro said, as he pressed a pink heart cutter into his green dough. Kelly rolled her eyes placed a flowery hand on her hip and raised her eyebrow. _

"_Well daddy." She began, whilst he bit his lip to stop himself from laughing. "Haley is nasty-"_

"_You don't know that." _

"_I do, because she was the evil step mummy. Also she was blonde and I don't have blonde hair-"_

"_How'd you know you didn't get my hair?"_

"_I don't have grey hair daddy." She said seriously._

"_I wasn't always grey-"_

"_Stop interrupting me! And, you didn't love her, you still loved Jenny. And to have a baby you need to love each other." She smiled at him, as thought she was perfectly correct._

"_Kel, things aren't always so simple." He said._

"_Yes they are. So, am I right?" she asked, looking up at him, her bunches had fallen ever so slightly wonky. _

"_Kelly I said-"_

"_Daddy, please tell me!"_

"_Okay, at the end, but I need to tell you the rest of the story first."_

"_Okay." She said, and set about cutting biscuits whilst listening intently. _

"_So, Uncle Mike hated Hayley, he moaned about her. In fact none of them liked Hayley. But I kept on seeing her. Then one day Cheryl turned up again. . . "_

It was late. Mike was in an almightily foul mood. In the last week he had been told that he needed a probie, which he would have once the one he wanted finished at FLET-C, and he had been right about a ship being blown up. That was why today Gibbs was sat at his desk when it was well past midnight and Mike was up in the director's office. He'd been sat there moaning and chucking stuff across the bull pen since he found out that the ship had blown up. He'd found the Intel, told the director and yet nothing had been done. Now lives had been lost – all of which could have been prevented.

For some reason Mike had told Gibbs to write up any outstanding case files, even if it took him a day. So there Gibbs sat, not all that happy. He'd meant to be going out with Hayley tonight and when he had told her he was working she had moaned at him. She'd been getting sick of his work as of lately, and all he could think about was how him and Jenny had used it to their advantage. How they'd sneak off together. Everything seemed to remind him of her at the moment.

The sound of the lift surprised him; after all he was the only one in the bull pen. But for some reason he didn't turn around. "A leopard never does change its spots does it?" Said a familiar voice from behind him. Turning around he came face to face with a redhead he had not expected to see ever again. "Hello Gibbs." She said. Her hair was longer, and taken back in a ponytail. She had on very minimal makeup as she always had, and was dressed in a long white Gypsy skirt and a teal blue vest op with a white cardigan.

"Cheryl?" He said raising his eyebrows. She walked over and he stood up, hugging her. "It's good to see you." Jethro said sincerely.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm in DC on business. After that night I left, went down to Connecticut and I took a hospitality course. I've opened my own café down there; I'm up here sourcing a new supplier."

"I'm please for you, I really am. But what are you doing here, here?"

"I wanted to see you Leroy, I wanted to apologise for that night. When I said no, looking aback I realised how much I must have hurt you. I just wasn't ready."

"Neither was I. You did us both a favour." He said, looking at her. Then there was the sound that signalled the arrival of the lift, and they both turned. Jethro had not expected to see the SecNav stepping out of the lift. He turned to him, and stood straight.

"Agent Gibbs." The secretary said, in a perfectly practiced and undistinguishable accent.

"Mr. Secretary."

"Go home Agent Gibbs."

"Mike told me to-"

"Ignore Agent Franks, go home, and that is an order."

"Yes sir." Said Gibbs before the man walked away. Gibbs turned to Cheryl and smiled. "D'you want to go back to mine? Have a drink."

"I'd like that." She said with a smile. With that they both left NCIS. As Gibbs drove them back to his house, the night sky was pitch black, with just a few stars dividing up the dark expanse. The moon was half full, the streetlights illuminating the miles of concrete pavements as they went. The car, for once, was not silent. Instead it was full of small talk, him asking her about her new bakery, about how things were going, about all sorts. Then she'd ask him about what he'd been up to, and for some reason he was honest. In years to come he would not know what made him tell her about Jenny, but he did, and it helped. She told him that maybe sometimes things were not meant be, and it was her loss. And by the time they arrived at his house, and walked through the door, she was in fits of giggles and he was chuckling away to himself as she told him about the comments her mother had made about their relationship and its ending.

So whilst they were laughing, what neither of them was expecting to see was one Hayley stood in the doorway. Until, that was, she coughed – letting them know she was there. Her hair that was usually tied up in its French plait was now down lose, wavy and long, but Gibbs couldn't help but notice style less unlike Cheryl and Jenny who both had always had layers In their hair. She was also wearing a dress, and looked as though she had gotten dressed up for him. He felt guilty, but not as much as he should be doing. "Hayley."

"So this is what is classed as working now is it?"

"I was! But Cheryl stopped by, she's in the city-"Jethro began.

"I'm an old friend –"

"I know who you are, he told me when he was drunk." Said Hayley bitterly.

"Well then, I'm up on business and stopped by." She said with a small smile.

"Yeah." Hayley muttered, not believing her.

"I should go." She said with a sigh and turned to Jethro, handing him a small business card. "Call me." She said, kissing his cheek softly. He watched her leave, smiling. Maybe she had broken his heart when she said no, but right now he needed a friend, and being with Cheryl made him think that maybe they could be friends. His eyes fell down to the small business card in his hand. It had her name printed a small script font, pale blue. There was also the name of her café, and telephone numbers in a pale pink. The small picture of a cup cake next to it made him smile. He turned it over and saw her personal number was scrawled on the back. He placed it in his pocket and turned to Hayley.

"You told me you were working Jethro!" she said.

"I was." He moaned back, walking down into his basement and pouring Mason jar full with bourbon.

"So what were you doing with her?!"

"Seriously? I've already explained all of this! I'm beginning to feel as though I'm married again."

"Is that such a bad thought? Being married to me?" She said, feeling hurt already.

"Hayley, I'm not saying that!"

"Then what are you saying Gibbs? That I nag? Well you know what? I am sick of this. Everyone you work with hates me and I am beginning to feel as though you feel the same way. You never tell me anything, you … you just treat me like I'm there and you don't want me."

"That's not fare!"

"You're always at work Gibbs! And I can't do this anymore. I can't carry on. It's over." She said, before walking up the stairs and out of the basement. Every time Cheryl had walked out he ran after her and the same with Jenny, but now he didn't. She was gone, and for some reason he didn't feel as though he was bothered in the slightest.

"_Yey!" Said Kelly as she placed her final biscuit on the tray. "Is that the end of her?"_

"_Wait and see Kel', wait and see." _

"_Daddy!"_

"_Go on; go wash your hands you look like a flour monster!" He said, tickling her before she ran away. _

**I've got a new story 'Harder to shine' so please go and check it out on my page, and leave me a review as well if you can. They're great fun to read! Thanks **

_**_fashiongirl97**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer – I don't know NCIS**

**Authors note – sorry it's late, thanks for all the support and enjoy!**

**Obviously Perhaps**

_Gibbs smiled as he stood watching Kelly drum her fingers rhythmically on the working top. She looked as though she was going to scream with impatience – he pouting lips and firmly set frown. "Daddy! Are they cool yet?" She asked for the hundredth time since had taken the more than slightly warm biscuits out of the oven and deposited them onto the wire cooling rack. Smirking he walked over and gently touched the top of the multicoloured biscuits. Feeling that they were, indeed, cooling and yet were still in need of a little while longer he decided they may as well mix the icing._

"_Not quite Kel'" he responded, smirking as she folded her arms. "Hurry up biscuits!" She moaned, giving them a glare that much rivalled the one that her father frequently gave his team. _

"_How about we get the things to decorate them with, eh?" He asked, and watched as she gave him a big bright smile that never failed to make him, too, smile._

"_Okay." She said as she moved to the cabinet, climbing onto the working top and standing up to rummage through the cupboard and grab all the sweets she wanted. Being the protective father he was, Jethro walked over and held her still whilst she dropped down packets of dolly mixtures and Smarties so that she didn't fall down and hurt herself – for which he would never forgive himself. When she was satisfied with the collection that had accumulated, she smiled. "Down please mister." She said, and he happily complied, picking her up and placing her down on the ground. _

"_Right, go get your apron on." He instructed, and whilst she skipped off to go and grab the apron, he swiftly and expertly made up a batch of pink icing, and another of green icing. By the time she came back in he had two bowls of icing, and the sweets placed out in the middle of the working top. With a beaming smile she stood on her little step that was kept for such an occasion and they finally got to work. _

_Kelly grabbed the pink icing and began placing a large spoonful on her biscuit. She watched as the pink spread out, she tried to copy her father in using the bottom of the spoon to spread it out but only succeeded in causing it to go spilling further over the edge. It made him smile as she said: "oops!" as she noticed the problem in an almost angelic voice. _

"_Pass it here." He said as scooped half of the icing off of the biscuit and onto another one before smoothing it over in the same way she had attempted to do. "Not too much remember!" He said whilst chuckling away to himself._

"_Sorry daddy." She said before carefully placing a mass of dolly mixtures on the top as if for compensating for the small amount of icing she had put on, sneakily eating one or two when she thought her father was not watching. _

"_Don't make yourself sick Kel'"_

"_What?" She asked, attempting to flutter her eyelashes and look innocent, but the giggles took over and she couldn't help herself. He leant over and head slapped her, but he did it a lot softer than he did for his team. _

"_What happened the next day?" _

"_The next day?"_

"_After Haley left?"_

"_Oh, well…" And so he began to once more retell the story._

He just sat there, feeling more numb than he did anything else. He wondered whether he should be upset or annoyed with Hayley for walking out. Should he be annoyed with Cheryl? For her turning up out of the blue and causing all this havoc. But he knew he wouldn't be. Hayley was a rebound for Jen, and he knew that in truth she had been right to walk out on him, knew that she had been all too true with everything she had said before she left.

It was strange, he thought, that he hadn't even touched his bourbon. Instead he just sat there, staring at the range of nuts and bolts that were there. He sighed as he remembered the day when Jen had been in his basement with him and sat there silently, when he had turned to see what she was doing, she'd sorted them all out into an order. It had made him smile how she had wanted them all ordered, and yet she'd then gone and tipped on out and downed a shot of bourbon. Not even feeling the burn as it went down her throat.

He picked up the card and smiled at her neat scrawl. He looked din the corner and smiled as he saw her hotel and room number. He wondered in that moment if she had known when she wrote that what was going to happen. Deciding it was impossible he contemplated ringing her. Contemplating whether he really wanted to be getting involved in all of this once again. Then he decided he did, Jenny was gone, and she'd no doubt risen up the ladder and was playing politics.

So, he picked up the card, and on impulse grabbed his car keys from the Mason jar they had somehow ended up in and near enough ran up the old wooden rickety stairs.

The streets of DC were silent as he drove. The darkness lit up by warm yellow glows. Illuminated windows like photographs showing snapshots of different people's lives. They were like a familiar saying, woven into his brain so well he barely needed t think where he was going as he drove. The hotel well a medium class place where the rooms all matched and the men and women on the lobby seemed all too happy to help. He parked on the side of the road where he knew there were no double yellows. Then, getting out of the car he walked into the lobby and over to the lift. When he got an inquisitive glance of one of the lobbyists he just flashed his badge and carried on.

In the lift there was carpet, and soft music playing, the complete opposite to what his lift back at NCIS was like. He stood there silent until he reached the fourth floor when he stepped out and headed down the corridor. A length long patterned carpet ran down the corridor. He walked, checking the door number as he went, looking for the right one. When he found the correct number carved out of brass he took a deep breath and gave a nock. IT was a few moments before she came to the door, but it was all he needed to consider backing out a hundred times.

She opened the door and looked at him. Her hair was pulled back; she was wearing long baggy black trousers and a white vest top. She smiled and leant against the doorframe. "Hello." She said, smiling softly.

"Can I come in?" He asked, smiling softly.

"There a blonde bulldog with you?" She asked.

"She's left." And with that she opened the door and stepped in. The room had a double bed, en suite and wardrobe along with a desk and couch, but the whole room was a mess. He turned around, and for the first time since she'd walked out a few hours ago he felt lonely. Because, whilst he might not have been in love with her, he liked her as a friend.

Cheryl turned around and they both realised their proximity. She could smell his aftershave and he could smell her perfume. Both could feel one another's breath, and neither was sure in the months that would follow who it was that started the kiss. But what they would remember was the way hands began to roam, and pleasure filled one another other.

Hours later, as they in bed, both knew that there was nothing behind the reasoning, other than the fact both wanted t be with someone who knew them. Both wanted a sense of familiarity. And that night they fell asleep, both thinking and wondering about what things would have been like if things had been different. They drifted off that night into a peaceful sleep, minus any night mares for once.

The next morning, when the sun came through the window and awoke Jethro, he groaned. And as he opened his eyes he was welcomed with an empty bed. Because as he looked around the room and saw her stuff was gone, and her side of the bed was cold, Jethro realised that once more she had left him standing.

"_She left you again daddy?"_

"_Yeah Kelly, she did." He said with a sad smile._

"_So what happened next?"_

"_Well Kelly, which is nearly the end of the story."_

"_So who is my mummy?" Gibbs smiled, and grabbed three photos he had waiting. One of each of the women._

"_One of them turned up four months later and told me she was pregnant. Who do you think it was?"_

It was Saturday; Jethro was sat in his front room sorting through a bunch of things he should have dealt with ages ago. It was his weekend off and for once he was not hiding in his basement. He looked at the box and labelled it 'Jen', not wanting to go through it and reopen a box full of memories once more. He put it to one side and began to look at the pictures that his father had given him back when he was a child.

He was looking at a photo of him and his mother when he heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was Abby, the young Goth who had wormed her way into his heart; he got up and walked over. Dressed in his jeans and a lose fitting t-shirt he opened the door. And there she stood, looking the same as ever, but with a loser top on.

"_So who do you think that it was Kel'?" He questioned, smiling._

"_She was pregnant?" she asked._

"_Yeah, she was." He watched as Kelly looked intently at the photographs. Looking at them fiercely._

"_There is uncle mike in this photo, so this is Jenny?" She asked, looking at a picture of Jenny posing in a little café in France. Her hair tied up in a messy bun, and wearing a dress and boots, looking – he thought even now – amazing. _

"_It is Kelly."_

"_She was really pretty. But she left too long ago to be pregnant, so she's not my mum right?"_

"_That's right." He said smiling._

"_I liked Jenny."_

"_Yeah, so did me." _

"_So it's between Hayley and Cheryl." She looked at them again. "Hayley had blonde hair and Cheryl has red. So I think my mum in Cheryl, and I don't like Hayley."_

_Gibbs laughed at her and smiled._

"Cheryl." He said, looking at her. HE smiled, but she didn't.

"We need to talk." He looked at her and opened the door before walking into the kitchen.

"Coffee?" He asked, but she shook her head. "Something stronger?"

"No, I can't."

"What going on Cheryl."

She looked at him, the way he stood so confidently and realised why she had fallen in love with him all those years ago. "I'm pregnant Jethro."

He looked at her, almost gobsmacked. "It's mine?"

"No, it's superman's." She replied and he ran a hand through his hair. He was going to be a father, and in truth, that thought scared the hell outta him.

"_You said you changed their names." She said, looking at him with a smile. _

"_Yeah, Hayley is really Hollis, and Cheryl is really Shannon."_

"_What about Jenny?"_

"_Jenny is Jenny." He said with a smile._

"_You didn't want to replace her. You still love her don't you?"_

"_It's been a long time Kelly." He said as he placed the dishes into the sink and filled it up with warm water, adding a good squirt of the bright green washing up liquid. And watching as the bubbles formed. Hearing she was silent he turned around, noticing she looked upset. "What's wrong K?"_

"_If Shannon is my mummy, why don't I ever see her? Did she not want me?" Gibbs sighed, turned off the tap and sat down, hugging her._

"_Kelly, Shannon loves you, she always will. But sometimes things don't go as planned."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Kelly, when Shannon and I sorted things out, we were both so excited about you. We painted your room and bought furniture. The day you were born was one of the best days of my life, your mum smiled and laughed and you looked just like her. And she loved you." He sighed once more and kissed her head, stroking her soft hair. "But a few months after you were born she had to drive back down to Connecticut because there was a problem at the café. She got things sorted in a day and even though I told her to stay there overnight because it was late, she missed you so she drove up here in the dark. She was only an hour away when a driver ran into her car. She crashed into a tree."_

"_She died?"_

"_Yeah Kelly, she did. But don't you ever think that she doesn't love you."_

"_So that is why I sometimes live with Noemi?"_

"_You know I told you about Jenny?"_

"_Yeah." She said smiling. "I like Jenny."_

"_Well when Jenny was little, and then when she still lived in DC, she had a house keeper. She'd been her nanny when she was little, and she'd thought of her as a mum."_

"_That was Noemi?" _

"_Yeah it was." He said with a small smile. And with that they walked into the lounge and sat looking through the pictures, he showed her ones of her mum, but also of Jenny. And he wondered momentarily whether he had let her down because she had not had a mother figure growing up. But as he looked at her gazing at the photo of him and Jenny, he decided that despite everything he hadn't done all too bad. She looked up at him, and kissed her forehead._

"_Daddy, I wish I could meet Jenny, I think I'd have gotten on with her."_

"_I think you would have Kel."_

"_Why don't you ring her?" She asked, smiling._

"_Because Kel', I messed up. I'd love to get her back, but I wouldn't change anything because then I wouldn't have you."_

"_I think you should see her again."_

"_I'd love to Kelly, I'd love to, but it'll never happen." And as Gibbs gazed at the photo in her hand he didn't see the glint in Kelly's eyes as she slowly began to hitch a plan. _


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**

**Authors note – I hope you all enjoy, please review **

_I am numb to the pain, I am numb once again without you – Leona Lewis, When It Hurts_

That night, they sat in Jethro's bed, the portable DVD player they used when they were going out on the boat on his knee, and curled up under the soft warmth of the duvet they watched Lion King. He watched his daughter, and she quoted her favourite lines, and sung along to the lion king. Before she fell asleep, Kelly wound her father around her little finger and persuaded him to let her stay with him for the week, and he agreed with it as long as they didn't get any cases. Once she had the news she wanted Kelly went back to watching the end of the film, but way before the credits rolled up the screen her little eyes had closed and surrendered to the tiredness that she felt.

So the next morning, at 7am Gibbs stood in the kitchen dressed in his usual work attire, drinking coffee whilst a tired Kelly rubbed her eyes with fisted hands and ate her cocoa pops. She had on a pink and black tartan skirt like one she had seen Abby wearing and insisted she wanted, with a pink blouse with black cuffs and buttons and little pink dolly shoes. Her hair was tied in two pig tails that Gibbs had done when she came skipping down earlier. There was her backpack over the chair which was filled with god only knows what. Once she had finished her cocoa pops, drinking

The chocolate milk they had made at the bottom, and finishing off her orange juice she put on her coat, grabbed her bag and stood by the front door. Gibbs laughed, took the NCIS cap out of his pocket with the two pig tail holes in it and placed it on Kelly's head. Popping the two tails through them.

Walking out the front door, Kelly chattered on, obviously feeling a lot more awake than she had a few moments ago. In her mind she was deciding who would be best to help her with her plan and decided it would be Abby, after all if her dad found out what she was going to do he wouldn't hurt Abby where as he would tony. So as she sat in the back seat of the car in her purple booster seat, tapping her feet against the edge of the seat as he dad drove. Her head was swaying as she listened to the song on the radio, not knowing what it was that the lyrics meant but liking the beet.

Soon they were at NCIS, Gibbs and Kelly got out of the car and he put her visitors pass around her neck. "Where d'you wanna spend today?" He asked as they stepped into the metal lift.

"Abby's lab please Gunny!" She said with a cheeky smile.

"Go on then, but no car-pow." She looked up at him, puppy eyes and bottom lip reaching the floor. "Not gonna happen Kelly."

She huffed and looked out at the silver, Gibbs laughed. He knew Jenny wasn't her mother and they had never met, but sometimes she was so much like her. Then again she was like Shannon too, caring and sweet, looking out for others. Finally the doors opened and he watched as she went skipping out of the lift and into Abby's lab. The music was turned off by the time he walked in and saw Kelly and Abby doing some secret handshake they had made up at some point. "Princess Kelly!" Said Abby, hugging the little girl.

"Abster!" Shouted Kelly laughing as she hugged back.

Abby looked over to see Gibbs and smiled, saluting, Kelly saw and copied her. Gibbs smiled, he knew Kelly hadn't had a mother figure in her life and for that he felt guilty, yet as he looked at her now he knew that at least she had had a female figure In her life. "She aright to stay with you Abs?" He asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Do you really need to ask Gibbs?" Said Abby, as she walked over to the fridge and got herself a caf-pow from the large supply and another one, slightly smaller for Kelly, yet it had a pink wrapper instead of red.

"No Abby, no Caf-pow. Seriously she was awake all night last time." He said remembering how he had spent the night trying to calm Kelly down as she bounced away on her bed.

"Gibbs, I'm not that bad, they messed up last time, and I have a de-caffeinated one." He smiled at the Goth and then he pointed to his cheek and looked at Kelly. She rolled her eyes and ran up to him, giving him a kiss before going back. And with that he walked out. There was a time when he didn't even have to ask, and it made him think just how much his little girl was growing up.

Back in the lab Kelly and Abby were sat on their stools facing one another drinking form their caf-pows loudly. "So what d'you wanna do KK?" Asked Abby using the nickname she had used when Kelly was ill once.

"I need your help." She said looking up at the Goth.

"Sure thing Gibblet, you need help with science homework?"

"No, this isn't about school."

"Okay…" Said Abby worrying about things that Kelly's friends might have told her and that she might have to explain the birds and the bees.

"So, daddy told me about how he and mummy met, and what happened to her." Said Kelly. Abby knew about Shannon, she'd looked it up and then found out from Gibbs.

"Kelly, I'm sorry."

"It's okay, I now she's still here, watching me." Said the little girls with a smile. "But anyway, when he told me the story he talked about three women. One was called Jenny, and she was really pretty."

"Aww, what d'you want to do Kel', see a picture of her?" Asked Abby.

"No, I know what she looks like. I want to find her and bring her to DC so she can see daddy. He still loves her."

Abby squealed. "Oh my god, are you sure Kelly? Because our silver haired fox is a bit of a lone wolf you know."

"I know, but he still loves her, trust me I know. Can we find her please? He won't kill us because we are his favourites."

Abby looked at her. "Okay! If it will make the boss-man happy." Said Abby, calling up the search engine.

"Abby, she was NCIS; can't we do an agent search?"

Abby smiled, Kelly was a lot smarter than most girls her age, "Personnel search KK, and so, she was an agent." And with that Abby called up the search. "Right, talk to me KK."

Kelly laughed and thought. "Name: Jenny Shepard, she was younger than 40 - I know that, and she was at NCIS around 1999 maybe?"

"Hair and eye colour?"

"Red hair and green eyes, smaller than daddy and she worked on Uncle Mike's team before daddy came here with Stan."

"You're good at this Kel'!" Abby typed away for a few minutes whilst Kelly flicked through the songs on Abby's IPod and chose what she wanted. Then a few minutes later Abby smiled. "That her?" She asked as she pulled up the personnel file. Kelly looked at the picture and smiled.

"Yeah!" Said Kelly with a smile.

"It says' she left NCIS a year after she left Mike's team."

"Oh." Said Kelly, defeated.

"What's going on Gibblet? And why did you not come to see me first? I'm hurt!" Tony said as he walked into the Lab carrying a white box.

"Sorry Tony, I needed Abby's help. We're trying to find the lady daddy loves." She said with a big smile.

"You're signing Gibbs up to and internet dating site?" He asked with a huge cheesy grin. "Uniform dating dot com?"

"Tony! Little ears are around!" Said Abby, scolding the other man.

"Sorry Gibblet, okay so what we doing?"

"First, you tell me and KK what is in the box." Said Abby with a smile. Tony placed it down on the desk between them, pulled over a stool before opening the box on three donuts with pink icing and sprinkles. Kelly kissed his cheek and took one, and Abby hugged him and took another.

"Right, now what is going on?" HE asked, and Abby pulled up the photo of the woman and began.

"Meet Jenny Shepard, this is who Gibbs loves according to my very reliable source: Special Agent Kelly. She's a former-"

"I know her." HE said with a smile.

"Don't tell me she's one of your ex's?" Abby said with a groan.

"No Abs, after Gibbs' tales, I never date red heads."

"So how do you know her?" Asked Kelly with a sugar infused smile.

"She'd a wedding planner, she's planning mine and Ziva's wedding. We – well she's a friend of Ziva's; she offered to plan the wedding. Jenny owns a château about an hour outside of Paris."

Kelly and Abby passed a glance between then, and smiles appeared on both of their faces and simultaneously they looked at Tony, the same plan hitching in both of their minds.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer – ncis is not mine**

**Authors note – sorry for the delay, thanks for the reviews, please enjoy**

**Three weeks later . . .**

In the flat which they shared not a five minute drive away from the Navy yard, Tony and Ziva stood in their room getting ready. Today was a Saturday, it was warmer weather than they'd had in a long time and there was a good feeling in the air. Sun shone down on the city, a warm breeze ran through the streets and the leaves on the trees slowly danced away whilst birds took refuge in their shelter.

In the apartment Tony stood by the mirror in the en suite doing his hair. Ziva stood in their room, she had the light make up that she usual wore on and was standing in a pair of boot cut stone washed jeans, a white scoop neck t-shirt and a green blouse left open. She had her Star of David necklace on and her hair was tied up in a high ponytail. She walked over to the wardrobe and put on a pair wedge sandals, grabbed her black waste length Jacket and bag and walked into the bathroom. "I'm still not sure about this Tony. If Gibbs finds out what we're doing we'll both be dead!" Exclaimed Ziva as she thought about the plan.

Between Tony, Kelly and Abby a plan had been concocted to get Gibbs and this Jenny woman who Kelly was so adamant that her father loved together. So, they'd decided that when Jenny came down to talk about the wedding arrangements with Tony and Ziva, they would call a group meal. That way Gibbs and Jenny were forced in to the same room. However when Kelly found out that Ziva was picking her friend up from the airport she decided she should come along too.

Now, Ziva was about to leave to pick up her friend. She had not told Gibbs what she and Kelly would be doing, only that they were off out for coffee before the evening. She'd take Kelly back to her house and they'd do all the girly things that Kelly loved and Ziva hated. Gibbs had been happy to let his daughter go off with Ziva. He planned on spending the day sanding his boat before he had to go out to the meal later o that evening.

"Zi, Kelly and Abby came up with the plan. They are his favourites, we're safe!" Said Tony turning around and drying his hands.

"I'm more bothered about what Jenny will do. She's more than capable with a gun, a knife…hell she's probably as skilled as Gibbs."

"And you are my mossad ninja chick! You'll kick her ass!" He said with a chuckle. "Now go!" He went to slap her ass but found her hand clasped around his wrist. With a wink she walked away, shrugging her jacket on and leaving the apartment. Ziva ran down the steps, fished the keys to her mini out of her bag and drove over to Gibbs' house. The drive was not silent; in fact it was accompanied by a symphony of beeping car horns and swearing.

As she necked on the door she heard a little voice come from behind of it. "Who is it?" Said Kelly in a sing song way.

"It's Ziva Kelly." There was then a sound of locks before the door opened on her beaming face. Kelly then hugged Ziva before she ran inside to find her father. Ziva followed suite, closing the door behind of her. Walking into the kitchen she found Kelly putting stuff in her bag whilst Gibbs sipped his coffee.

"You sure you want her? You don't have to." He said, as he watched her like a hawk.

"Yes Gibbs. She is a pleasure to have." She said smiling at Kelly. "You ready?"

"Yep!" she said before running over to her father and hugging him. He kissed her on her forehead and she smiled. "Bye bye daddy."

"See ya Kel'. Have fun!"

"Yes Sir!" She said saluting with a giggle before walking out of the house with Ziva. They placed the bag on the back seat and got into the car. "Is operation 'cupid' all set up?" asked the red head.

"Who was it who came up with that name?" questioned Ziva with a smirk.

"Tony." Laughed the little girl.

"Figures." She mumbled. "And to answer your previous question yes special agent Kelly, everything is in place."

"Good. So what is Jenny like?" She asked as they pulled up at the airport.

"Wait and see." Said the older woman as they got out of the car and she took the little girls hand before they walked over to the arrivals.

Jenny Shepard grabbed her bags from the luggage carousel. For some reason she was nervous. IT was not though the thought of being back in the city where her former lover lived, after all she had been back numerous times on business. But it was the fact that she was going to a diner this evening at which there would be people from NCIS. She was sure as to whether Jethro would be there, she knew Ziva worked with him yet she also remembered how hard it was to get the stubborn pain in the ass out of his basement. Part of her wanted him to be there, she wanted o show him what she had become, see how he was. Yet the other part of her, the part o her who remembered that night when she had left, that part of her was not sure if she would be able to cope with the pain all over again.

Her red hair fell below her shoulder blades and had long layers with a sweeping fringe. She wore a pair of straight leg jeans which fit perfectly. On her top half was a white fitted blouse with a long pendant around her neck. On her feet was a pair of brown tan leather stilettos with wooden heels. She wore a Mac and had a big leather bag over her shoulder and was pulling her case. Her makeup was light and natural without being invisible. She walked out into the busy arrivals and looked around for her friend, placing her oversized sunglasses on her nose as she looked around. She spotted the Israeli stood by the window with a young red head. Slightly confused yet glad to see her friend she walked over. Ziva saw her and smiled walking over to meet her.

The two old friends hugged one another. "Shalom Jen."

"Shalom Ziva, and congratulations, I haven't seen you in person to say it yet."

"Thank you." Said the brunette with a smile.

"Can I see the ring?" Ziva held her left hand out with a smile and the red head looked at the gold band with three small diamonds in it. IT was simple yet sophisticated and gorgeous. "Oh Ziva, it's gorgeous and I'm so jealous!" Laughed Jenny. She looked down to see the little girl looking up at her. Bending down slightly she smiled. "Hey, who are you?"

"I'm Kelly Gibbs." Jenny froze for a moment and looked up at Ziva who just smiled. Jenny managed to regain her composure and face reality after a few moments. "It's nice to meet you Miss Shepard, my dad has told me a lot about you."

"He has?" Jenny asked, looking at the girl. Her big eyes and long hair.

"Yeah, I asked how he and my mummy met and you were in the story. You were the lady he was in love with. And for the record, I don't hate you for leaving him." Jenny was amazed by how mature the little girl was. But seeing her was hard, it made Jenny see that Jethro had moved on a lot more than her, and in a way that hurt. Because whilst she had ended it, she had hoped she meant more to him than just a fling. But the little girl – Kelly – saying he loved her was tough to hear. He'd never told her how he felt, and then the little girl was?

"Come on you two, let's go and get some drinks." Said Ziva and she noticed the emotion that was seeping through her friend's mask of no emotion. Jenny smiled and took Kelly's other hand as they walked out.

Twenty minutes later they sat at a table in a coffee shop in the city. Kelly was sat drinking a hot chocolate and blueberry muffin whilst Ziva and Jenny had coffees. There were photos of the place that Jenny owned scattered on the table. There were pictures of many wedding that had been held there too; large and big, simple and grand. "It's beautiful Jenny. You do an amazing job." Said the brunette.

"Thank you Zi. It couldn't be more different from NCIS, but I love it. Making people have an amazing day, seeing their smiles. IT is worth it. I lost so much to the agency; I don't think I could ever go back." Jenny smiled.

"Ziva?" Asked Kelly, looking at the Israeli.

"Yes Kelly."

"Are you having a big wedding?"

"No Kelly, I want a little one, with just the team, you, Abby, Ducky and Jenny."

"So I can come?"

"Yes, of course you can, I want you to be my brides maid."

"Really?!"

"Yes."

"Yey!" Squealed the little girl with a big smile. "I think you should have yellow lilies in you bouquet with little white flowers."

"Sounds like you're going to be doing my job soon." Said Jenny laughing.

"I think that sounds really nice." Said Ziva with a smile. "What do you think of white and lemon as a colour scheme?"

"I think we could make it work."

They sat there talking about the wedding for a long time, sat there discussing colours and bouquets, talking about whether they wanted an indoor or outdoor reception. In the end they had a vague plan sorted out. And so the group got up and made their way over to Ziva's flat. Jenny wanted to meet Tony and was staying in their spare room for the trip. They walked into the fault and Jenny smiled. "Nice place." She said with a smile.

"It's a bit different from the dump we stayed in in Cairo."

"Just a little." Jenny laughed. She watched as a very handsome man walked out and smiled at her.

"You must be Jenny?" He said with a big smile.

"And you must be Tony. I always knew you had taste Ziva." She said as she walked over. "Now you listen here." She said seriously. "She may be mossad, but I'm trained by the best, you hurt her and it won't just be Ziva you have to worry about, got it?"

"Yes ma'am." He said seriously.

"Good, well then with that over it's nice to meet you Tony." The Italian just laughed and showed the red head to her room. As Jenny stood there and listened to the sound of the traffic outside, she remembered the days when she had called DC home. The day when she truly knew the meaning of the word family.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

Later that day, around mid afternoon, Tony and Ziva were sat in kitchen drinking coffee, looking through into the living area where Jenny was sat with Kelly, painting the young girl's nails a pale pink, with little flowers in the corner. Ziva saw the glint in her friend's eye as she acted like a mother. She knew that had things been different and had Jenny realised what she had earlier on in like they may not be stood here, but Jenny would be in her own house painting her own little girls fingernails before they went out. Yet this was how things were. This was how things had worked out.

"She knew yet?" Questioned Tony as he placed his cup down on the counter and hugged his fiancé around the waist.

"No, not yet." Ziva answered. This was a life she had only ever dreamt that she would live. Back with Mossad she'd been raised to kill, and dye trying. There had never been a word said about her family, about getting married. Yet now in America things were different. And she was happier than she ever thought possible. She was living a life that whilst her father would frown upon, her mother would proud of.

In the living room Jenny laughed at Kelly. "That is so pretty!" She said smiling and looking in awe at the nails. "Daddy always makes a mess, he puts too much on and then they never dry." He says like it was the most stupid mistake in the world.

"Well I get lots of practice. You have to let them dry now though, and then I can put some magic nail varnish on which will stop them from chipping."

"Okay." She said, but Jenny had to laugh as she went running into the kitchen full pelt. She'd forgotten how bigger different there was between an adult being careful and a child being careful. Jenny listened to the muffled conversation between her friend and Kelly, and Jenny wondered what the real reason for Kelly being here today was. She had told Ziva about the whole Jethro issue back when she was working as a liaison with Mossad. One night after an incident which had shook them both they had grabbed a bottle of cheep vodka and drunk it, leavening them both considerably drunker than was permitted. But she'd spilled it all, and now Ziva knew. Or at least that is how Ziva claimed she had found out.

"They are very well painted Jen." Said Ziva as she stood at the door, and the little girl came running back over and jumped down next to the older red head.

"Thank you, I get a lot of practice. Kind of have to when you never know when a beautician ill cancel."

"Well I now know I do not need to hire one." Jenny just smiled.

"Daddy will think they are magic!" Said Kelly, still looking lovingly at the pink nails.

"You'll have to show him them when you go home."

"Go home?" Said Kelly frowning. "I'll show him them when we go out tonight." She said the last word quietly, realising she had dropped herself in it. Jenny was not supposed to know her dad would be there. "Oopsies!" Said the little girl, clamping her hand over her mouth.

"Kelly? What do you mean when you go out tonight? Is your father going to be at the meal later on?" Said Jenny, realising just maybe why Kelly was staying with her friend after all. Kelly shook her head, still with her hand over her mouth. Jen turned to look at her friend who was glaring at the little girl.

"Ziva?" She said, before looking into the kitchen where Tony was looking very guilty. Knowing her chances of breaking her former Mossad officer best friend were slim, she decided that her friend's fiancé was the easier target. "Does Tony know Kelly?" She asked the little girl, who this time discreetly nodded, hand still firmly over the mouth. So Jenny stood up and began walking into the kitchen.

"I know nothing! Nobody tell me anything." HE began, trying to defend himself.

"Is Gibbs at the meal tonight?" She asked, smirking at his obvious discomfort. She watched as Tony looked over her shoulder to where Ziva was stood no doubt glaring.

"Why would Gibbs be there?"

"I don't know tony, but you do."

"I told you no body tell me anything."

"Hmm, did Ziva tell you she taught me most of the things Mossad taught her? And obviously I learnt from Gibbs too." She said, raising an eye brow.

Tony laughed. "You don't need to use that!"

"Oh, so you're going to tell me the truth? Are you?" Jenny was still smirking; she heard a laugh from the door and saw Kelly giggling. "You think it's funny eh?" She asked. And the little girl squealed and ran away; Jenny picked her up by her waist and dumped her on the sofa before tickling her.

"Stop! Stop!" She shrieked in-between laughs.

"Is he going to be there?"

"Yes! Daddy will be there!" She squealed laughing, before jenny stopped and the little girl caught her breath.

"Thank you Kelly." She said before turning to Ziva. "You are so dead!"

"But you are like family just as he is Jen. I want my family there." Said the brunette, trying to defend herself.

"You also know what happened all those years ago." She said in a soft voice. Now the pieces were beginning to fit together.

"Jenny, I'm sorry." Said Kelly from behind of her. Jenny turned around to see the little girl. "I know you left my daddy – and he doesn't hate you. He's still in love with you and I just wanted you two to see each other again." Said the little girl with a small smile.

"Kelly." Said Jenny sitting down and hugging the little girl.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I know that you want your dad to be happy, but . . . I hurt him Kelly. HE won't love me after what I did."

"But does, please, just come tonight."

Jen sighed, looking down at her hands. "If I come you have to promise that you won't get your hopes up. Me and you dad, even if we do talk, there is no guarantee that we will be friends again. A lot has happened."

"But you will come?"

"Yes I will come." Said the red head a little reluctantly. Kelly hugged her and looked up smiling a big smile.

"Right, let's put the magic no chip nail varnish on." Said Jenny smiling.

At six o-clock Jenny sat in her room, looking in the mirror. Her stomach was filled with butterflies and she was nervous. It was years since she had seen Jethro, and she did not have a clue what to say or what to do. Things had changed so much. She'd left NCIS, moved on. He had a child and a new team.

She sat there, curling her hair with wide curlers, and watching and it bounced down. When it looked as she wanted she picked up her makeup, half heartedly looking at it. Placing her head in her hands she moaned. How the hell had thing gotten this messed up? Everything seemed like it could have been so much easier.

The night she left him still stuck in her mind, sneaking out, the pain and hurt that had come with it. The sound of his almost slurred words. It was her nightmare, one of the worst. Looking at the outfit that was hung on her door she wondered if she was too old now, if she was too old to ever be found attractive. She worked in one of the happiest industries, making people have the best day of their life. And yet here she was, and knew she'd never have that day. Watching others smile as she felt so fake, so alone.

Realising she had given her word to the little girl she picked up the foundation brush and decided to swallow her pride. This was bound to have to happened, if not now then at her friend's wedding. That was a day she wanted things to be perfect for. So she applied her makeup, from foundation and mascara, to a light coating of grey eye shadow. Then she walked over to the outfit, shimmied off her rob and put on the white blouse with black spots on it, and the black tube skirt. She tucked the louse I but let it bellow so that it matched the sleeves. Then she pulled the skirt down slightly, put on her black wide belt and the black signature stilettos and looked in the mirror. She liked the outfit; she'd worn it a few times. But now she felt like she was pretending to be someone else. Like she was simply a lie.

There was a hesitant knock on the door and Jenny told them to come in. she looked to see Kelly. Looking very pretty in a lilac dress, and sparkly sandals. "What's up Kelly?" She asked, smiling.

"Can you do pig tale plaits?" She asked.

"I sure can."

The little girl handed Jenny four bobbles, teach with little teddy bears on and sat in front of her. Jenny parted her hair, and took t up into bunches then plated it and secured with a bobble.

"All done." She said with a smile.

"Thank you! You look really pretty!" She said with a big beaming smile that never seemed to fade.

"Thank you Kelly." Said Jenny. "You want to stay in here?"

"Yes please." Sad the younger girl as she sat on the bed and watched as Jenny picked up her jewellery box and sat back down next to her. She tipped its contents onto the bed and looked at the mass of chains and bracelets.

Jenny looked at them all before choosing a locket, with a white flower on the front. Inside she knew was a picture of her and Jethro, and her and her father, she'd worn it in Paris constantly, and ever since too. She then picked a pair of silver hoop earrings which were only small and put on a floral ring. She looked at Kelly to see her pouting. "Daddy won't let me get my ears pierced." Said the little girl, obviously not happy.

"I got mine done when I was sixteen."

"But All my friends have theirs done."

"Well, when you re older you can get yours done, and then you will appreciate them more." Kelly rolled her eyes and carried on looking at a necklace. It was on a purple ribbon with a small heart hanging from it. She remembered it had been a present off of her auntie when she was Kelly's age. Jenny then took it off the young girl and told her to spin around. Confused Kelly did as she was told, and smiled when she felt Jenny putting it on for her. When she looked in the mirror her grin got impossibly bigger.

"It's pretty!" Said Kelly smiling.

"It's yours if you would like It." said Jenny.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I got it off of my aunt when I was your age; I think it would have a good home with you." Said Jenny, looking at the little girl.

"Thank you!" said Kelly hugging her again. Jenny just smiled, a few moments later she grabbed her black velvet clutch bag and threw her phone and lipstick along with her purse inside of it. Ziva came in and asked if they were ready, so Kelly went off to go and grab her coat. Jenny turned to get her black leather jacket and took a deep breath.

"Everything will be fine you know." Said Ziva from the door where she was stood. She had on a blue shift dress with a thin silver belt around the waist and a pair of silver strappy wedge sandals. Her hair was down, straight and loose ad she had a little more make up on. Jenny turned and smiled at her as she shrugged her jacket on.

"I know." She said with an unconvincing smile as they walked out of the room.

Half an hour later they arrived at the restaurant. Everyone piled out of the car, and Jenny saw a familiar series of black cars that she knew must belong to the rest of the group. She sighed as she got out of the car, glad of her jacket thanks to the already significant drop in temperature. "You coming?" Questioned Tony as he looked back.

"I'll be in in a moment, don't wait for me."

They nodded a look passing between them and went ahead, deciding that the woman most likely needed some privacy. Leaning against the clean shiny car she closed her eyes, sighing. She could so easily walk down the street, hail a cab and go, not have to face this problem at all. But what would that save? Plus she had given her word, and if she had learnt anything from Jethro it was that you never go back on your word. So that was how she found herself walking into the restaurant still wanting to run away as fast as she could.

IT was warm inside, and she shrugged her coat ff and hung it up on the coat stand. She saw the large table in the centre where there was a group of people sat down, with one spare seat. The red head waited for a moment and observed the group. Tony and Ziva were laughing with a bubbly Goth and another young man. Ducky was surveying them like an old grandfather and sat but one seat away from Ziva. She would be sati between them which was a relief. Then her eyes fell on Kelly, who was showing Jethro her nails.

Jethro.

His hair was more salt than pepper these days, there were more lines on his face but then she supposed that there were on her face as well now. HE had on Jeans and a white shirt that fit perfectly. HE was till as handsome as ever, muscular and toned. Jenny had to stop herself; she could not think like that when he had a child. Things were different now.

With courage and determination she walked over to the table, where Ziva stood up and smiled. "Guys I want you to meet my best friend, and our wedding planner, Jenny Shepard." She looked and Jen and gave her a comforting smile. "Jenny, this is Tim, Abby, Ducky, Kelly you've already met and Gibbs."

Then something she promised herself wouldn't happen, happened. She caught his eye. And all of a sudden she was looking in those bright blue eyes, deep and sparkling that always made her feel so invisible, yet so strong too. HE looked at her, the way her hair was long, smile big but nervous. Her curves and how beautiful she was. "Jen?" He said, and she smiled.

"Hello Jethro." She stated, sitting down next to Ducky. Then they just looked at one another, neither knowing what to say among company. So he went back to Kelly, and she turned to Ducky.

She smiled; and hugged the older man. "Jennifer, I was not expecting you to be here." Said the Scotsman.

"I was not expecting to be here Ducky, but it seems as though Kelly and Ziva began scheming."

"Ah, I believe they may have had some help from Abigail, she is quite the matchmaker." He said and they both laughed. "How are you my dear?" he questioned.]

"I am very well thank you Ducky."

"I hear you no longer are with the agency."

"No, I'm not unfortunately." She said, but she didn't go any further, she wanted to tell Jethro first and she new Ducky would know that, so neither one of them pushed the subject any further. Soon the table was laughing and joking, but whilst Jenny partially joined in as she tried to work out the dynamics she noticed Jethro's silence, the way he just watched his daughter who was playing some card game with Abby, and occasionally glanced across at his old partner.

"How do you know Jennifer?" Ducky asked Ziva who just laughed.

"It is a long story." Jenny said, trying not to get the subject started.

"Jenny came to work as a liaison officer with mossad in Cairo about a decade ago. We were partnered up and we met there. We became friends and without her I would not be there today." Said Ziva smiling at her friend.

"I think I would be the one who was not here Ziva."

"Neither of us would be here then." She sad laughing. Once more the conversation wandered off in many directions, their meals came and went and yet this time she felt Jethro's yes were constantly on her. Standing up she made an excuse she was off to powder her nose and went towards the exit, standing outside in the dimly lit parking lot, taking a breath of the cold air. She wrapped her arms around herself, wishing she had grabbed her coat as the thin blouse did nothing to keep her warm.

It was only a few moments before she heard the door open and close and realised she had company. HE stood next to her silently, breathing heavily. She recognised the smell of bourbon, coffee and sawdust. All too familiar and full of memories. "I thought you were about to make another run for it." He said, plainly and flatly. But she knew what he meant. And yet she couldn't think of a reply. She didn't want to be offensive, stark cold or cut off, yet not did she want to appear soft, emotional and egging for a second chance.

So they stood in silence, both just thinking of all of the things that they wanted to say. "Kelly is a lovely girl, you're lucky to have her. She's a credit." Said Jenny, not turning to look at him.

"She thinks highly of you. Hasn't stopped going on about your nail painting abilities." She just laughed and turned to look at him.

"I'd say I was sorry, but . . . I know what you would say."

"Sign of weakness."

"Sometimes an apology is needed."

He turned away, and so did she, neither knowing what to say. "You alright?" He asked, and she knew he was talking about how she had been.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Ducky said you left NCIS. Thought it was your ambition to get to the top?"

"I got blown up in Cairo. Nearly died, and I realised I had nothing to say that I had achieved in my life. I'd given it all up for the job, including you." She looked down at her feet.

"So where are you now?"

"Own a house by the river Seine. Wedding venue." She said. "That your new team?"

"Yeah, they're good."

"I know." She said. Taking a deep breath she turned to look at him. "I was stupid to leave; I was young and foolish Jethro. I know that we will never get back what we once had, but I want to be friends. I want to talk, it would mean the world."

"I forgave you a long time ago Jenny." He said, looking at her. "Come out for breakfast with me and Kel' tomorrow. She'd love it and I would too. She'd staying the night at Maddies, and we always have breakfast beforehand. We can talk after."

"I'd like that." She said, and gently pecked his cheek. "We should go back inside."

HE just nodded, and took her hand, squeezing it as they walked through the door. Yet let go when they were inside. For now they would take it slow, and neither wanted to raise Kelly's hopes and then shatter them all over again.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

The next morning Jenny was not due to meet Jethro and Kelly, at the dinner across town where they would be having breakfast, until 9am. Yet by half past six she was laying in bed eyes wide open and awake. She tossed and turned, flipped the pillow over to the cool side and turned again. However, it was no use what so ever because sleep would not come to the red head.

She turned so that she could look out of the window where the sun was slowly beginning to rise and splinter through the blinds. She sighed and wondered how things would change over the next few days. Wondered of by the time Tony and Ziva ventured over to Paris for their wedding she would still be the lonely single business woman that she had been when she left. Jenny rubbed her eyes with her fist and decided that there was no point in staying in bed. That was one thing that had rubbed off in her after all those years being an agent. She hated doing nothing, maybe that was why she did a job where there was constantly something to be improved upon.

Getting up she walked over to her case where she found her running clothes. She took off her pyjamas and changed into the fitness leggings and a t-shirt. The red head then put on her trainers, laced them up, grabbed her IPod and silently slipped out of the spare room.

Once she was outside of the apartment and had not woken either of the two agents sleeping inside she smirked. Walking down the stair and then into the street she placed the ear phones into her ears, selected a track and set about jogging at a steady pace towards the edge of the city. The pavements were reasonably empty, yet running in DC was a million miles away from her usual morning run down the bank of the river in Paris where she could do the whole 5 mile run without seeing another living soul. Yet here in the concrete city she had to dodge people even in the early hours of day.

Jenny relished in the repetitive and long strides of her run, the way she ran through the burning in her calves and focussed on her rhythmical breathing. She was thankful for the cooler weather even though she wasn't dressed for it - running always made her warm.

Working in an industry where the women starve themselves for months on end just for one day meant that she also had to keep in reasonably good shape. She liked the way she looked these days, she'd gone through a stage not that long ago when she'd been bordering on too thin. But now she had the curves that she had had back when she was working with NCIS.

After half an hour Jenny was back in the centre of the city and nearing the apartment building. She slowed down to a walk and unplugged her ear phones. Taking deep breath she walked up the stairs and felt her legs beginning to shake. When Ashe was inside of the flat she walked into the kitchen and had a large glass of water. After listening for any sign of life and fining none she went for a shower, deciding that Tony and Ziva must not be needed at headquarters today and so had decided to have a much deserved lie in.

Twenty minutes later Jenny had towel dried her hair and was dressed in her robe, lying on the bed. She still had another hour and a half before she needed to be at the diner and was not entirely sure what to do. Although, deciding that she still had not a clue what she would wear she walked over to the closet where she had hung her clothes and looked at the contents.

When it came to Jethro, even all these years later, she still got confused. She wanted to look nice, to impress him yet jot look desperate nor look as though she was over dressed. So looking at the contents she pulled out a pair of acid wash skinny jeans and a green blouse with pockets either side. She got dressed and applied a little makeup - yet not as heavy as the previous night.

Still barefooted she walked into the kitchen and found the coffee in the cupboard, boiled the kettle and made herself some, still being cautious of not making a sound as not to wake her friends. It turned out that not being able to do absolutely nothing was not the only thing that had rubbed off on the red head over the years. Jethro's caffeine dependency had now become Jenny's as well. Taking a sip of the scalding hot and seriously strong brown liquid she closed her eyes, smiling at the taste that filled her mouth. Instantly she felt a lot less nervous about this morning's breakfast date than she previously had. Sitting down at the breakfast bar she flicked through the movie magazine that had been left out. Jenny guessed it must belong to Tony seeming as far as she remembered Ziva's movie knowledge was so minor that it rivalled Gibbs'.

Hearing the sound of feet she looked up and saw Tony walking into the kitchen. His hair was sticking up all over the place and be looked as though job had literally been dragged through a hedge backwards. "Morning." He said as he rubbed his eyes and tried to disperse the sleep.

"Morning Tony." Jenny said smiling warmly. "The kettle has just boiled."

"Thanks." He murmured, and walked over to add hot water to two mugs containing a sachet of coffee each. She watched him, he looked tired and worn out. Jen remembered all too well just how hard Jethro worked his team. She also remembered the hours she had been forced to put in. So Jenny had a lot of sympathy for the younger man. She watched him take the two white mugs and carry them back into the room. Jen just laughed, it was only two minutes later she saw Ziva emerge, fully dressed in her running gear with the mug of coffee in hand.

"Tony has gone back to bed. Have you been for a run yet?" The Israeli asked who was a hell of a lot more awake than her fiancé was.

"Yes, I went earlier, it's a lot different that my usual run in Paris." She said with a smile that Ziva couldn't help but smile back at. There was something in her friend's eye that Ziva hadn't seen here in quite a while: hope.

"You usually run by the river?"

"Yes, I'll show you it when you come over and see the place." She said with a smile and Ziva nodded. "Anyway, I'm going to go and finish of getting ready."

"You off out?"

"Yeah, I'm having breakfast with Jethro and Kelly." She said with a bright smile. Ziva hugged her friend. Jenny was happy that her friend was able to express her emotions more now that she had been back when they were in Cairo. Ziva told her friend that she was happy for her and wished her luck before she went out of the apartment and off for her run. Jenny had no doubt that when she returned she'd have done twice the distance Jen had done and would not even have broken a sweat. But Jenny knew that she'd have gone by then and would not be able to be humiliated or shown up.

She went back into her room and dug out a pair of black ankle boots and put them on. She then looked in the mirror, ran her hands through her hair and smiled at her reflection. After transferring her things from last night's clutch bag to the black leather day time bag she usually used she added another coat of red lipstick and put on her long Mac jacket before walking out of the door.

She walked to the diner after deciding that it was a nice sunny day so she should make the most of it. She walked down the streets which had once been where she called home but now were just filled with memories. It took her an hour to walk at a leisurely pace to the diner, and she was there lightly early. So she went in and sat down at a booth in the corner near the window. Looking out of the window she watched as people went past the window. "Coffee?" asked a waitress who was in her fifties with died brown hair snatched back into a butterfly clip. She had on a pink blouse with old jeans and she looked like she knew the place laid the back of her hand. It was a typical middle class diner, clean and a place that tourists would flock to in the summer. But it was simple and comforting.

"Please." Said Jenny with a warm smile, and she watched as the woman placed down a white mug and poured the black liquid into it.

"Cream and sugar is on the table. Can I get you anything else?" She asked, smiling.

"Not right now, I'm waiting for someone." Replied the red head. The older woman just nodded and walked away. Jenny realised that in the ladies walk of life she must see all types of people coming in here in all emotional states and of all ages. Just like in her and Jethro's positions, like him she would see them on their worst days, yet like Jenny she would occasionally see them on their best as well.

At exactly 9am on the dot she watched as Kelly and Jethro came through the door. Kelly with her beaming smile and skipping away. She was in blue jeans and a pink long sleeved t-shirt with a jacket, and a bulging back pack on her back. Around her neck Jenny was able to see the necklace that she had given her the night before around her neck.

"Jenny!" Said Kelly with a big shocked smile as she came running across and sat down next to her. Jen hugged the little girl and laughed.

"You didn't tell her I was going to be here?" Jen asked the little girl's father.

"No, I thought that I would let her be surprised." He said with a smile as he quickly squeezed the red heads hand discretely. Yet it was a gesture that did not go unnoticed by the little girl, even if she did for once keep her mouth shut.

"Is it a good surprise Kelly?" Jenny asked the little girl who had placed her coat on the spare spot and sat back down with an oversized menu in front of her.

"Yes!" She replied nodding her head with a massive smile that never got worn down. The waitress came back over and looked at the three, she didn't get to see as many happy family scenes as she would like these days.

"Coffee?" She asked Jethro with a smile, he nodded and she once more poured another mug, she then turned to Kelly. "What about you miss?"

"Can I have a glass of milk please?" She asked the waitress, she smiled and nodded.

"Of course you can. Can I get y'all anything else?"

"You know what you'd like?" Jethro asked Jenny and she nodded smiling. "What about you Kelly?"

"Can I have pancakes?" She asked her dad who laughed.

"Okay, one chocolate chip pancakes for the little one and two pancakes with scrambled egg and bacon, maple syrup on one but not on the other." He said as he looked at the waitress, when she went he turned back to Kelly who was looking at him with a questioning face. "What?" He asked laughing.

"You didn't ask Jenny what she wanted. You should!"

"That's because I already know what Jenny will want." He said and looked at the red head that just looked back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You remembered?"

"Never did forget anything about you Jenny." HE said with a smile. The rest of breakfast was filled with talking – mainly by Kelly though. She was so happy to have the two people she adored with her and so was more than a little over excitable. When it was time to go and head off to Middies so that they could drop her off Jenny insisted on paying.

"Jethro, I live on my own and have no family. Let me treat you both!" She said.

"Jenny, you don't-"

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. Now shut up and let me pay." The waitress watched them, seeing the obvious relationship between them that both were obviously still attempting to navigate. So for once Gibbs did something that he never really did, he relented and let the red head pay. Once she had done so, they walked out of the diner, each holding on of Kelly's hands. They made their way to the car and headed off to Middies house, the little girl bouncing in the back seat thanks to excitement and a sugar rush. And even Jenny and Jethro, although not from a sugar rush, felt like bouncing. BEcause there was something in the air that was making both of them believe that here may be a chance of them both having something together, something to be proud of and make them both happy.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

**Authors note – massive apology for the delay, basically although I know what will happen with this story I couldn't write it very well which is why this is a short chapter. Hope it's okay and please keep the lovely reviews coming! Thank you **** xx**

Kelly had been safely deposited at Middies' house, met by the other little girl's mother before she went bouncing in to find her best friend and no doubt cause a whole heap of trouble. Once the pair of them were child free Gibbs had driven them across town to a small park where he remembered taking Kelly when she had been a little girl. They parked at the edge and walked along the tarmac path inside. There was a pond in the centre and an area which had baby trees growing as part of a school project. Benches where dotted all around and then there were many families all spending time together. Jenny sat down on a bench near to the pond and watched the ducks go about their business whilst little children held bread bags filled with stale slices of bread which they would break up in their hands before throwing them to the animals. Jenny sat with her shoulders hunched and looking out, although things were slowly changing, she didn't know how this was going to end. Jen was so sure he was only playing along before he would walk off and give her a taste of her own medicine. But then part of her told her that she was wrong, that that was not the kind of person Jethro was. Yet even though she knew that she was being stupid, nerves were still settled in the pit of her stomach, and adamantly refusing to move.

When he returned a few moments later he was holding two white Styrofoam cups in his hands. She smiled as he held one out to her; she received it with a smile and wrapped her hands around the warms, watching the steam that rose from the boiling black liquid inside. She looked over at him, and she saw that he was desperately trying not to ask the burning question. Sighing she admitted to herself that if they were ever going to move forward from where they currently were then they needed to get this out In the air. "Say it Jethro." She said, as she met his eyes. When he didn't ask what she was talking about Jenny was relieved, she didn't want him to insult her inelegance. They both knew why they were sat where they were, and it had nothing to do with the quality of the coffee. He ran a hand through his salt and pepper hair and looked back towards her.

"Why d'you leave Jenny? Why didn't you talk to me, why . . . why did I wake up and find a Dear John letter?" He asked her, almost with so little anger that she wondered how many times he had asked that question to the stars at night.

"I . . . Do you remember that night Jethro? What you said? What we both said?"

He looked down; he didn't want to admit the fact that he didn't actually remember much from the night in question. Gibbs remembered going out with mike and burley, but after that all he recalled was waking up with a pounding head and a note. "No, not a lot."

"You all got hammered." She said, with a sigh and looked at her feet. "I ended up telling half the pub I was Stan's wife so they'd leave him alone, and had to take you all out to the car, none of you could walk without being helped." She said. "Hell Jethro, you told me you loved me!"

"I don't get it." He said, looking at her and feeling as though he was missing a piece of the puzzle.

"When I told you I loved you, all that you said was 'that'll be the day'. Like you were John Wayne. That nearly broke my heart, but what hurt more was not once did you say to me that you loved me, not once. I knew you didn't do feeling but in all those months you never even whispered it to me. So hearing you say it when you stunk of booze and didn't even know what you were saying. Hell Jethro, it felt like I was some human antidepressant!"

"Jenny, you were never that!" He said sincerely.

"Looking back I know that I wasn't, but back then I did. I was young and in my mind I thought that if I stayed I'd be nothing more than another ex-wife."

He looked at her. When they had come here he had thought that the day would end up in an argument and that their relationship would crumble. But now, well he found that he was no longer angry, he realised in that moment as he looked in her eyes just how sorry she was. Because what hit him then, for what could be the first time since that night, was that he was as much to blame as she was. "It takes two people to end a relationship Jenny." He said with a hopeful smile. She looked up at him, shocked that he was not shouting and annoyed with her.

"You mean that?" She asked, raising an eyebrow to look at him, questioning his motive. Jethro moved closer to her and smiled. His rough and callused hand placed a stray strand of hair behind of her ear before cupping her face.

"Jenny for years I have been annoyed, angry even. But seeing you now, the way that you've moved on and made something of yourself. I'm proud of you. Even when I didn't particularly like you for leaving Jenny, I still loved you, I still love you." HE stated, looking in her eyes and waiting for the moment when he could capture her lips with his own.

"You love me?" She asked, baffled that he was talking about emotions and telling her how he felt.

"Yes." Was all he got the chance to say before her lips came crashing down onto his. She couldn't bear to not be kissing him anymore, and when her lips touched his she realised how much she had missed him. It was filled with passion, and no restraint, it contained pent up emotions and things left unsaid. They only broke after over a minute when air becomes an overpowering need. Their foreheads stayed resting against one another's, and smiles were splayed across both of their faces as they beamed with sheer joy.

"I love you too." She said with a smile. He just pulled her into a hug, and she let herself become immersed in the feeling of his warm and comforting embrace. They stayed like that for a few moments before they got up and began to walk around the park, tossing their now semi warm coffee in the bins. They walked with his arm around her waist and her head on his shoulder. As they went neither spoke, words had never been needed between the pair. Suddenly a thought entered her mind and she looked up at Jethro, stopping them. Looking into his eyes she then diverted her gaze. "What about Kelly? If she doesn't want this, or isn't happy with it then we need to stop. What if it doesn't work out and she ends up getting crushed?" She asked scared all of a sudden for the little girl and her well being.

"Jenny, look at me." He said, placing a finger underneath her chin and raising it up so she was looking in his eyes. "You're here because Abby and Kelly blackmailed Tony. Kelly likes you, I told her about Paris and how we were back in the day. She's seen the photos. Jenny she lost her mum, if she didn't like it you would know about it, hell the whole world would. And if it doesn't work out then that doesn't mean Kelly cannot see you Jen. We'll make it work, all three of us will."

"If…if you want to stop this now, want to go back to Kelly then say so. I'll understand and I will get on the next plane to Paris." She said, looking away again, this whole thing had happened so fast she did not want Jethro to feel as though he were making a mistake. Kelly should be his priority.

"I let you go once Jenny, I won't let you go again." HE said before kissing her softly and gently, his hands going around her waist and pulling her closer to him whilst she threaded her hands through his hair. In that moment the rest of the world was forgotten. Their pasts blurred, their future glowed and they absorbed all that was their present.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

Following that day where the two spoke in the park, when they cleared the air and blurred the past, Jenny decided to delay her flight back to Paris by two weeks. Ziva was more than happy to have her friend staying longer and Jethro, also, was pleased to see that the woman he was in love with was staying for a while longer. Jen checked her schedule and saw that she only had one wedding coming up, and that she had done all the work she needed to do during the sleepless nights prior to her visit. Anything that remained could be dealt with over the phone or by the people who were still over in Paris.

In the week that followed Jenny and Gibbs saw a lot of one another. She went around to his house and looked after Kelly because she was on her school holidays. Whilst Jethro was at work the pair did girly things, all the things Jethro had not been very good at doing. They went shopping and Jenny painted the Kelly's nails once again, pale blue with white clouds. Then Jen dragged the little girl to the cinema to watch a new Disney film she had wanted to watch but hadn't had an excuse. By the time that the weekend came, Jenny and Kelly were getting on like a house on fire, and Jethro was more than happy to see both of his girls smiling.

Saturday came and Jethro packed Kelly off to Abby's house so that he could take Jenny on a date. The little girl went, asking Abby why she wasn't allowed to go on a date with them. So Kelly went and Jethro retreated to his basement. When the time to came go and pick Jenny up, he had changed into a pair of dark wash jeans and a why shirt with his grey jacket. Jenny was dressed to make his jaw drop. After going shopping with Ziva she had found a black and white 1950's inspired dress, and now with her hair curled and lips sinfully coated in red she looked amazing.

When she'd opened the door he'd nearly pushed her up against it, but, for a few hours at least, he showed some self control. They ate at a small Italian place downtown. They ate pasta, drank wine instead of bourbon and talked quietly, both enjoying the others company. They smiled for the whole walk home, hand in hand matching one another's strides.

Then the following day, they stopped off at Tony and Ziva's apartment so that she could change. Meanwhile Gibbs looked around the place which was a hell of a lot cleaner than the last time he had been there – which he put down to Ziva. He waited; the sound of Tony's snoring reaching him even out in the living area. After a few minutes Jenny emerged, dressed in a pair of dark washed skinny leg jeans, a white three quarter sleeved t-shirt with a scoop neck and a pair of black Converse baseball boots. She had her hair ties back and a simple chain necklace around her neck. Her makeup was minimal, but she still looked just as amazing as when she was all dressed up to Gibbs. She shrugged on the oversized zip up hoodie she had pinched from Gibbs and they set off.

It was nearing 10am when they arrived at Abby's apartment. Jenny waited outside f the building whilst Gibbs went to the door so that Abby didn't see her. As of yet they were not wanting to let everyone know about their relationship, especially when they were only in the early stages. So Jenny waited, even if Abby already did know that he and Jenny had been on a date, he didn't want her knowing that she had slept over at their house.

"Had she behaved?" He asked Abby as Kelly came bounding out in pair of jeans, hair in pigtails and a black and pink sweatshirt on. Abby was as per usual looked bright and perky.

"She was brilliant Gibbs! How was your date?" she asked, eager for the juicy details.

"It was good abs, although keep it quiet. Somehow Jenny and Ziva managed to keep it from Tony so I would like it to stay that way.

She mock saluted using the wrong hand, whilst saying: "Yes sir!"

"Wrong hand abs." He stated, laughing, whilst Kelly stood next to Abby and they both did it again, the little girl mimicking what the older woman was doing. "You ready?" He asked Kelly with a warm smile.

"Eye eye Captain!" she said as she put her bag on, hugged Abby in thanks and then took her father's hand.

"Thanks Abs." He said, kissing the Goth on the cheek before walking out will Kelly. She bounced along beside of him with a big smile on her face. "I have a surprise for you." He said, looking down at her wide eyes and pouting lips – her inquisitive face.

"Is it a puppy? Because I really want a puppy!" she said with a big smile.

"Since when do you want a puppy?" HE asked, wondering where the new decision had come from. Where it came to pets Kelly had always been relatively good with not wanting any, but now she wanted a dog, which would mean he had to look after it.

"Abby and I went to the dog rescue centre. There was this little girl called Mindy, she was a wolf dog and really fluffy!"

"No." Said Gibbs, knowing what was coming.

"But daddy she was so cute! And Abby said she would protect me from nasty people."

"Kelly." He said warningly.

"But she was so cute! She had big green eyes-"

"Kelly, they get really big." He said, by now they were walking out of the building and on to the street. HE knew Kelly would see Jenny soon and was waiting for her reaction when she did. But at the moment she was too busy trying to persuade him to get a wolf dog.

"Yes! I know! That is why she would be perfect to protect me."

"You don't need protecting, you have me."

Kelly looked around her, trying to think of a clever response to get her father to agree with her. "Well then…" She began. "Mindy can protect y-JENNY!" She squealed as she went running over to the red headed woman who had been there waiting. Jenny crouched down and hugged Kelly, a big smile on both of their faces. Kelly then looked around to see her father. "IS Jenny my surprise?"

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p'. "We're off to get ice cream from your favourite place."

Kelly's smile got bigger, and she stood between Jenny and her dad, taking one of their hands in each of hers. "Sound good?" Jenny asked.

"Yeah! They do really nice ice-cream there Jenny! I love the chocolate, but Daddy says I can't have it if I have a white top on because I make a mess. But I have a pink and black top today so I can have chocolate ice-cream. Can I have strawberry as well?"

"Sure thing kiddo." Said Gibbs.

"Yay!" said Kelly. She then looked up at Jenny. "Do you think I am responsible Jenny?"

"You are very responsible Kelly."

She then turned to her father. "If I am responsible then I should be allowed to have a dog daddy."

"Not happening Kelly."

"Jenny, I think you would like Mindy. She is the dog I want. "Said Kelly. The two adults just laughed as she tried to persuade them both that she would be able to look after a dog. Gibbs did not budge on his opinion though.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer – NCIS is not mine**

**Authors not e- sorry that it is short, but I liked the ending. Thanks for the support and please enjoy!**

The trio walked to the park, Kelly holding onto one of Jenny's hands and one of Jethro's hands. As they went she chatted away about her evening, about all the things that she and Abby had done. Occasionally she would drop in a question about whether she could have the dog or not, however every time the answer would stay the same and still be no.

The sun had come out for once which made the day a lot brighter, and as they walked each on had a smile on their face. When they arrived at the park they all headed to the ice cream parlour. It would be wrong to dispute the fact that anybody looking on would think that this was not just an ordinary nuclear family. No one would even think that Jenny was not Kelly's mother.

Set away at the back of the park in the silence was an ice cream hut. It had wooden panelling on the outside and a window where the woman stood. She was dressed in white, and had a fake smile on her face. There was no inside seating, but there were a few picnic benches outside where you could sit. Above the serving window there was a plaque displaying a list of all of the different flavours of ice-cream that were available. Standing back from the board they all decided what they wanted.

"What d'you fancy Kelly?" Questioned Gibbs with a smile.

"Erm . . . Strawberry please." She said with a smile. "What are you having Jenny?"

"JEnny'll have mint choc chip." Said Jethro, knowing what the red head would want without even having to ask.

"Daddy!" Scolded the little girl. "I asked Jenny. You don't know what she wants."

"I'd like mint choc chip." Said Jenny with a smirk. "Your dad knows me too well Kelly. Just as I know that he is boring and will have vanilla ice cream." Said Jenny, Jethro's favourite was chocolate, but he never asked for it, instead he always went for vanilla, it was one of the things that Jen would never understand about the former marine.

"You two are strange." Said Kelly as she went to sit on the nearest bench. Jenny sat down next to her and Jenny asked Kelly whether she was looking forward to returning to school the next week as term time began again. "I like school; I have lots of friends so I don't mind. Will you be staying in DC now Jenny?" Asked the little girl.

"Why do you ask?" Questioned the older woman, slightly taken aback by the question.

"Because now that you and my daddy are dating you have to stay here."

"IT's not that simple Kelly, I have my home and work in Paris."

"But are you going to be my mummy now? Because Georgia's daddy dated a pretty lady and now they are married."

Gibbs came over at that moment, skilfully balancing there ice creams. After he had given them out he looked at her as she looked at him. Neither quite knew how tot answer the question. They had wanted to keep Kelly in the dark for a while first, but seeming as she was still panning on playing Matchmaker that was not going to happen any time soon.

"Kelly." Gibbs began, but he did' know how to say it.

"Things are not always so simple Kelly. Me and your dad . . . we are different people to who we used to be. WE don't know if we would work together. But whether we do or not then I will never replace your mum Kelly, never."

"I know." Said the little girl as she began licking her ice cream. "My mummy is always with me." She stated smartly. "Here." She added as she pointed to her heart. Gibbs sighed and rubbed the little girl's hand. "So if you _have _to go back to Paris then when?"

"In a week Kelly. But I promise that I will still see you, even when I do go. You can come to Paris and I will come here." She said as she looked down to the little girl.

"So can I have a dog then?" Kelly questioned again, and the whole table burst out laughing.

The group ate their ice creams together, talking about the fact that in the holidays Kelly could go and visit Jenny, with Gibbs, and if he was working then Jenny would either fly to DC to stay, or fly over and bring Kelly. But the conversations soon changed, and very soon Kelly was playing wedding planner as she gave Jenny ideas. Each one of them smiled and laughed along, and then they began to walk around the park. As they came to the play area Kelly saw a few of her school friends and went running off. Whilst she played Jenny and Jethro sat on a park bench watching her. She rested her head on his shoulder and he had his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you." He said, completely out of the blue and from nowhere.

"What for?" Jenny questioned as she looked up at him.

"For saying what you did about her mum. I don't want her to forget Shannon – never. And I am not sure she remembers her at all."

"She's young Jethro, just don't push the matter. One day she will just sit down and want to know all the stories you remember, not just how you met. She remembers her, even if she doesn't say so."

"You're amazing, you know that?"

Jenny laughed, smiling at the way his eyes glistened in the sun as they sat there. Still laughing she mock boasted and said: "Yeah, I know."


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer – I don't own NCIS**

**Authors note – So here it is, the end. **

**I want to thank left my heart in Paris for letting me take this story, and play around with her amazing plot line. I hope it was okay, and I hope all of you reading enjoyed it. **

**Over a decade later . . . **

As it turned out, not only in the days that followed Kelly's sleepover at Abby, but also in the months, the little girl did not give up on the fact that she wanted a dog. And with every day that passed, she came up with a new reason as to why she should be trusted to have one. Every time she came up with a reason, Jethro found himself wanting to have serious words with his 'favourite' at work. After all, was it not for Abby then Kelly would not have gotten the idea.

A week after the ice cream date with Jethro and Kelly, Jenny flew back to Paris. Kelly was sad to see Jenny go, and so was Jethro. But at the same time the little girl was more than a little pleased that her plan had worked. The two Gibbs' had stood at the departures gate and waved Jenny off, smiles on both of their faces.

Life carried on after that day, Gibbs worked hard at NCIS, Kelly went to school, and Jenny lived in Paris, planning weddings. But something changed too, and it was not just the arrival of Kelly's begging, but it was the phone calls. Every night they phoned one another, Gibbs took a few less risks on the line of duty whilst Jenny found the weddings a little less bitter and a little sweeter.

Kelly's birthday came around, and Jenny flew across the Atlantic for a couple of days. The little girl had dressed in a blue dress, claiming that she was too old for pink and purple now she was nine. Jen had spent hours in Kelly's room, curling the long locks, and singing along to the CD which Abby had made her. Then, when she had gone downstairs the little girl had been greeted by the sight of the little white ball of fluff that was Mindy, the wolf dog puppy she had wanted. Jethro held the lead, it was pink and the puppy was tugging. Kelly ran down the stairs and hugged the dog, letting it lick her face.

Everyone had smiled when they saw the dog; the rest of Gibbs' team had bought things for the dog which made Kelly very happy, even if her father had told her that she was not allowed to dress Mindy up – much to Kelly's disappointment.

After the little girls birthday Jenny returned to Paris. And once more they fell back into routines. When Tony and Ziva's wedding came around, everyone was glad of the break. IT had been a couple of weeks of hell at work, and being in the beautiful city cheered them all up. Just as Kelly had suggested all those weeks ago, Ziva's bouquet had consisted of lemon coloured lilies and white daisy's. Her dress had been a long white Grecian style, and Kelly had worn a yellow dress which matched the one Jenny had been in, and both had held miniature bouquets of daisy's.

The day had been magical, small, quiet and yet beautiful all the same. Following the wedding tony and Ziva had jetted off to Italy for their honeymoon, yet Jethro and Kelly had stayed in Paris for a week, just as they would do numerous times over the coming years.

Nothing would ever be the same for these NCIS agents. Jenny had changed Gibbs' and Kelly's lives, Tony and Ziva were in love, and Abby and McGee were still pretending that they didn't love one another. But things changed.

In the years that followed, Gibbs decided it was about time that he let the other agents take more of a lead, and so he did. Gibbs began to take a back seat from now and again. Three years after they had married Ziva left for maternity leave, and gave birth to a little boy who they named Anthony Ari DiNozzo. Junior grew up to be just as cheeky as his father, and fiery as his mother.

Kelly grew up to be one of the sweetest girls that anyone would every meat. She died her hair a deeper shade of auburn so she looked like her mother. She grew up be creative, artistic, and extremely clever. Jethro had to be the proudest father ever. By the age of fifteen, thanks to several visits to Paris a year, she became fluent in French, so much so that when the time came for her to choose her university, she chose one in Paris.

Things work out ironically sometimes. And it just so turned out that Kelly decided to follow in Jenny's footprints; she left for Paris where she was going to study a major in business and a minor in design. Although the girl decided not to live with Jenny, she was there almost all of the time.

It was only when Kelly turned eighteen, a grown woman that Jethro left NCIS. Now that he didn't have Kelly to worry about he decided it was time to put Jenny first. So he too moved to Paris.

But Jethro being Jethro, he decided that he would work part time at the Paris office of NCIS. No one ever had thought that he would fully retire.

Jenny sat on the back patio of the chateaux, it was dusk and spring. She looked at the sun setting and sighed. Time had passed so fast. IT was over a decade now since she had gone back to DC that day, and been confronted by her lover. Things had moved on, she'd grown older and yet still she was here. Sitting on this patio. The newlyweds had just left, leaving her with an unusually empty house. The team was to come up the next day, and Kelly was due back in a couple of hours.

Jenny sighed as she looked out, she and Jethro never had gotten married, it didn't seem right. Jenny saw marriages every day of her life, and now so did Jethro, they were happy as they were. So that was how they stayed. She turned around to see Jethro walking out of the house. She smiled at the way he looked no different. Dressed in a red hoodie and jeans, his hair completely silver, but nothing else. He still kept in shape, and simply had a few more lines on his face.

Jethro sat down next to his partner and kissed her forehead. She had on a baggy blue chequered shirt which was left open to show a white vest top, and leggings. Her hair had begun to go slightly grey, but these days she only had a few highlights done. "What you thinking about?" He questioned softly, she was still beautiful, and every day he wished he had not done what he did all those years ago, not let her slip away.

"I feel old." She said with a slight chuckle.

"You're beautiful." HE said, simply kissing her.

"No, I seriously do. I mean, Jethro Kelly was eight when I first met her, now she is twenty one and coming up with ways to bring this place up from the ashes. She is . . . Jethro I'm _approximately _fifty."

"Approximately?"

She just raised an eyebrow and laughed. She smacked his arm and he looked mock hurt. "I spoke to my lawyer today." She said, out of the blue as she pulled a hair bobble off of her wrist and tied her long red hair up in a bun.

"Oh yeah? You kicking me out?"

"Not just yet. I've made a will. I'm going to leave this place to Kelly."

"She'll love that."

"Well she does already nearly run the place." Said Jenny with a smile.

"Anybody home!" Came a shout from inside. Jethro told her they were out the back. Jenny watched as the woman she saw as a daughter came walking out. Having Abby as an aunt had led to the woman having a lot of freedom in a style. And after trying to be a Goth in her tweens, she had fallen in love with vintage now. Kelly wore a blue A-Line navy blue skirt which fell just above the knee. With it she had on a white, off the shoulder t-shirt which was tucked in. Around her waist was a thick red belt and on her feet were a pair of red Suede T-bar heels.

"You look smart." Said Jenny with a smile on her face.

"I was at a wedding faire in Marseille."

"Do you ever stop working?"

"Yeah, but anyway, I'll show you the things later. There some wine anywhere?"

"In the fridge." Said Jenny and watched as the younger woman walked away. Jenny leant back against Jethro; she closed her eyes and let the feeling of the soft breeze mix with the soothing sound of Jethro's heartbeat.

"Hey, Jenny?"

"Yeah?" She said, smiling as she looked up at him.

"You know all those years ago when we first met, did you ever think there would be anything more than just work between us?"

"Obviously not."

"Obviously?" He asked quirking up an eyebrow. "You sure that you didn't think we'd sleep together?"

"Well . . . Perhaps."


End file.
